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joug

yoke

noun ZHOO Rare

Origin: Latin jugum

Usage Note

Joug refers both to the wooden crosspiece harnessing draught animals and, figuratively, to any oppressive constraint — sous le joug ('under the yoke') is a stock literary phrase for subjugation. The plural is regular: jougs.

Examples

"Les bœufs tiraient sous le joug."

Natural Translation

The oxen pulled under the yoke.

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