park´er

park «pahrk», noun, verb.

–n.

1. land set apart for the pleasure of the public: »

Many cities have beautiful parks. Hyde Park is in London. A park may be only a tiny bit of green in a large city, with a few flowers, trees, and benches, or it may be a natural wilderness larger than some states (Philip L. Seman).

2. land set apart for wild animals: »

a game park.

3. British. a place to leave an automobile or other vehicle, such as a baby carriage, for a time: »

Motorists with time on their hands have hunted through parks of two and three hundred cars (Punch).

4. a) a space where army vehicles, supplies, artillery, and other such equipment are put when an army camps: »

A torch gleamed momentarily in the transport park across the road (Graham Greene).

b) the group so assembled.

5. the grounds around a fine house: »

the turrets of an ancient chateau rising out of the trees of its walled park (Washington Irving).

6. U.S. a high plateaulike valley among mountains.

7. an open space in a forest or wood.

8. (in English law) an enclosed tract of land held by royal grant for keeping game.

9. a place set aside for oyster breeding: »

Oysters are obtained chiefly from cultivated parks in Chesapeake Bay (White and Renner).

–v.t.

1. a) to leave (an automobile, truck, or other vehicle) for a time in a certain place: »

Park your car here.

b) to place (a space vehicle) in orbit temporarily: »

The satellite was parked about the earth before being transferred to a lunar orbit.

2. to assemble and arrange (army vehicles, artillery, or other such equipment) in a park.

3. Informal, Figurative. to place, put, or leave: »

to park oneself or one's coat on a chair.

4. enclose in, as if in, or as a park.

–v.i.

to park an automobile, truck, or other vehicle: »

He parked near the library.

╂[< Old French parc < Medieval Latin parricus enclosure, probably < Germanic (compare Old English pearroc enclosure, paddock)]

–park´er, noun.

–park´like´, adjective.