ranch

Etymology

Recorded since 1808, farm sense since 1831. From American Spanish rancho (“small farm, group of farm huts”), in Spanish originally “group of people who eat together”, from ranchear (“to lodge or station”), from Old French ranger (“install in position”), from rang (“row, line”) (cognate with English rank)

noun

1. A large plot of land used for raising cattle, sheep or other livestock.
   There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […].” 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock
2. A small farm that cultivates vegetables and/or livestock, especially one in the Southwestern United States.
3. A house or property on a plot of ranch land.
4. (uncountable) Ranch dressing.

verb

1. To operate a ranch; to engage in ranching.
   Formally the widow still ranches, but in fact she leaves all ranching to the foreman.
2. To work on a ranch.
   Bill had ranched only five years when his dad made him foreman.