ranch

ranch

ranch large farm devoted chiefly to raising and breeding cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. The cattle ranch was introduced from Latin America to Texas and the plains of the W United States and Canada. The first ranchers owned cattle, ponies, and camp equipment but no land, grazing their stock on the free public range . When the fencing of land became compulsory, most ranges were broken up into smaller ranches. Cattle and sheep are often shipped from ranches to feed lots in the corn belt for fattening. The term ranch is applied in the W United States also to grain and fruit farms. The dude ranch offers horseback riding and other typically Western outdoor activities for the entertainment of paying guests. Some dude ranches are also "working" ranches, but most are devoted solely to vacationers.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"ranch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"ranch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ranch.html

"ranch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ranch.html

Learn more about citation styles

ranch

ranch / ranch/ • n. a large farm, esp. in the western U.S. and Canada, where cattle or other animals are bred and raised. ∎  (also ranch house) a single-story, sometimes split-level, house, typically with a low-pitched roof. ∎ short for ranch dressing. • v. [intr.] [often as n.] (ranching) run a ranch: cattle ranching. ∎  [tr.] [often as adj.] (ranched) breed (animals) on a ranch. ∎  [tr.] use (land) as a ranch. ORIGIN: early 19th cent.: from Spanish rancho ‘group of persons eating together.’

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"ranch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"ranch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ranch.html

"ranch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ranch.html

Learn more about citation styles

ranch

ranch hut or house in the country; cattle-breeding establishment. XIX. — Sp. rancho mess on board ship, soldiers' quarters, (in S. America) hut for herdsmen, etc.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

T. F. HOAD. "ranch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "ranch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ranch.html

T. F. HOAD. "ranch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ranch.html

Learn more about citation styles

ranch

ranch •Romansh •blanch, Blanche, branch, ranch, tranche •avalanche •backbench, bench, blench, clench, Dench, drench, entrench, French, frontbench, quench, stench, tench, trench, wench, wrench •crossbench • workbench •cinch, clinch, finch, flinch, inch, lynch, Minch, pinch, squinch, winch •chaffinch • greenfinch • hawfinch •goldfinch • bullfinch •carte blanche, conch •graunch, haunch, launch, paunch, raunch, staunch •brunch, bunch, crunch, hunch, lunch, munch, punch, scrunch •honeybunch • keypunch

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"ranch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"ranch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ranch.html

"ranch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ranch.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

RANCH MARKET PLUGGING ALONG SLOWLY.(Real Estate Guide)
Newspaper article from: The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM); 11/2/2008
California Ranch Wins Top Environmental Award.
PR Newswire; 7/21/2005
Tejon Ranch to Serve as the Hub of Dollar General's Western Supply Chain.
News Wire article from: Business Wire; 1/10/2012

Facts and information from other sites

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

See more pictures of ranch