ranch

Pluralranches

Formsranches, ranching, ranched

1. 1
   large cattle farmnouncountable

   A big area of land where people raise cows, sheep or other farm animals.

   My uncle's ranch is so big that he checks on his cows from a truck.

   During the summer she worked on a sheep ranch in Montana.

   UsagePeople usually live or work on a ranch. You can say a cattle ranch or a sheep ranch.

   Similarspread

2. 2
   salad dressingnoununcountable

   A short name for ranch dressing, a creamy sauce for salads that people also dip food in.

   Can I have some ranch with my carrot sticks?

   She dips her pizza crust in ranch.

   UsageSay some ranch or a side of ranch, usually with no a.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A house or a piece of property on land where farm animals are raised.

   We ate breakfast at the ranch, then rode out to check the cattle.

   The ranch stands alone on the hill, with cattle grazing all around it.

   Similarhomestead, farmhouse

4. 4
   raise livestockverbtransitive or intransitive

   To run a ranch, or to work on one.

   My grandfather ranched in Texas for fifty years.

   They ranch cattle on the hills north of town.

   UsageSay ranch in a place, or ranch the land, or ranch cattle.

   Similarfarm

   Note
5. 5
   one-story housenouncountable

   A long, low house with all its rooms on one floor and a roof that is not steep.

   Our new house is a ranch, so all the bedrooms are on the same floor.

   Many houses in this town are ranches with big front yards.

   UsagePeople say a brick ranch or a three-bedroom ranch, or ranch house.

   Note
6. 6
   nouncountable

   A small farm, often in the southwestern US, that grows vegetables or keeps animals.

   We bought tomatoes and eggs at a little ranch near Santa Fe.

   His family's ranch in New Mexico has a big garden and a few chickens.

   Similarfarm

   Note

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