Etymology From Middle English park, from Old French parc (“livestock pen”), from Medieval Latin parcus, parricus, from Frankish *parrik (“enclosure, pen, fence”). Cognate with Dutch perk (“enclosure; flowerbed”), Old High German pfarrih, pferrih (“enclosure, pen”), Old English pearroc (“enclosure”) (whence modern English paddock), Old Norse parrak, parak (“enclosure, pen; distress, anxiety”), Icelandic parraka (“to keep pent in under restraint and coercion”). More at parrock, paddock.
A tract of ground kept in its natural state, about or adjacent to a residence, such as for the preservation of game, for walking, riding, or the like.
She went to the park for a jog with him.
17th century, Edmund Waller, At Penshurst While in the park I sing, the listening deer / Attend my passion, and forget to fear.
2
A piece of ground in or near a city or town, enclosed and kept for ornament and recreation.
Hyde Park in London; Central Park in New York
If the afternoon was fine they strolled together in the park, very slowly, and with pauses to draw breath wherever the ground sloped upward. The slightest effort made the patient cough.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
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I roamed the streets and parks, as far removed from the idea of art and pretense as I could take myself, discovering there the kind of truth I was supposed to be setting down on paper…1994, Robert Ferro, The Blue Star:
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An enclosed parcel of land stocked with animals for hunting, which one may have by prescription or royal grant.
4
US A wide, flat-bottomed valley in a mountainous region.
The mountain region thus limited consists of extensive and often level-floored valleys, sometimes many miles broad, and elevated 4,000 to 5,000 feet above the sea, called "parks" in local topography, which are interposed between innumerable rocky mountain ridges ....1878, The San Francisco Western Lancet. a Journal of Practical Medicine and Surgery, volume 7, number 3:
High Park is a depression of 10 or 12 square miles in extent […] at a general elevation of 7,500 feet. Its smooth floor is partly due to volcanic tuff of the western volcanic area, but chielfly to a find lake-bed deposit of yellowish sandstone....1895, Whitman Cross, Richard Alexander Fullerton Penrose, Geology and Mining Industries of the Cripple Creek District, Colorado, page 54:
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The so-called park is a very broad, open valley,between the Sangre de Cristo range on the east, and the volcanic San Juan and Conejos ranges on the west1897, The Colliery Engineer, volume 17, page 207:
...the ridges flatten and, higher up, before reaching the upper snow-fields of the mountain, broaden out into high plateaus, the beautiful so-called parks or meadows.1911, Edward W. Harnden, “A Western Mountaineering Summer”, in Appalachia, volume XII, number 3:
Several structural basins, so-called "parks" within the crystalline rocks, are underlain by alluvial and terrace deposits, and in some cases, by Tertiary sediments.1975, Frits Van der Leeden, Lawrence A. Cerrillo, David William Miller, Ground-water pollution problems in the Northwestern United States:
› An area used for specific purposes.
5
An open space occupied by or reserved for vehicles, matériel or stores.
a wagon park; an artillery park
6
A partially enclosed basin in which oysters are grown.
7
An area zoned for a particular (industrial or commercial) purpose.
business park; industrial park; science park
Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."2013 June 21, Chico Harlan, “Japan pockets the subsidy …”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 30:
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An area on which a sporting match is played; (soccer) a pitch.
But because of their dominance in the middle of the park and the sheer volume of chances, Sunderland boss Steve Bruce must have been staggered and sickened in equal measure when the visitors took the lead five minutes after the break.2010 December 28, Owen Phillips, “Sunderland 0-2 Blackpool”, in BBC:
2003, “Johnny”, "Melbourne Blackout", in Sleazegrinder (editor), Gigs from Hell: True Stories from Rock and Roll′s Frontline, page 174, We got to the 9ᵗʰ Ward and as luck would have it I found a park for my bro′s car right out the front.
Once they′d entered the floors of parking spaces, James found a park relatively easily, but Mark had difficulty, and only a swift sprint allowed him to catch up as James walked through the throngs of people in the casino with the determination of a man who didn′t want to be delayed.2010, Sandy Curtis, Dangerous Deception, Australia: Clan Destine Press, unnumbered page:
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We finally found a park and walked a few blocks to the building.2011, Antonia Magee, The Property Diaries: A Story of Buying a House, Finding a Man and Making a Home … All on a Single Income!, John Wiley & Sons Australia, unnumbered page:
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Automotive, Transport, Vehicles The gear into which one shifts an automatic transmission when one is parking a car or truck. (Denoted with symbol P on a shifter's labeling.)
If a car seems to be refusing to let you shift out of park, recall that many cars have a safety interlock which requires that your foot must be pressing on the brake pedal before you can shift out of park.
486 termsNouns, aerial park, aeropark, agropark, airpark, Albany Park, amusement park, antipark, auto park, ball park, ball-park, ballpark, ball-park estimate, ball park estimate, ball-park estimation, ball park estimation, ball park figure, bark park, Beaumont Park, biopark, boat park, Brunswick Park, business park, Campbell Park, caravan park, car park, country park, cyberpark, dispark, distribution park, dog park, drift park, Elmwood Park, empark, energy park, English landscape park, Franklin Park, fun park, game park, geopark, hit it out of the park, hit one out of the ball park, hit out of the park, holiday park, impark, industrial park, inside-the-park homer, involuntary park, knock it out of the park, knock one out of the ball park, knock one out of the park, knock the ball out of the park, linear park, MacArthur Park, memorial park, micropark, midpark, minipark, mobile home park, national park, needle park, nonpark, paper park, parallel park, parkade, park connector, parker, parkette, parkful, park-goer, parkgoer, parkgoing, parkie, parkish, parkitecture, park-keeper, parkkeeper, parkland, Park Lane, parkleaves, parkless, parklet, Parklife, parklife, park light, parklike, parkly, parkomane, parkomania, park ranger, parkrunner, parkside, parkward, parkwards, parkway, parkwide, parky, pickle park, playpark, play park, pocket park, provincial park, retail park, Richton Park, Ridgefield Park, riverpark, Roselle Park, safari park, science park, skate park, skatepark, snow park, splash park, state park, stroll in the park, tank park, technopark, terrain park, theme park, traffic park, trailer park, trailer park trash, trolley park, walk in the park, water park, wildlife park, wind park, zoological park, zoopark, Proper nouns, Aberfoyle Park, Acton Park, Adelaide Park, Albert Park, Albion Park, Albion Park Rail, Alma Park, Angle Park, Ariah Park, Arndell Park, Asbury Park, Ascot Park, Athol Park, Aughton Park, Avon Park, Banksia Park, Bardwell Park, Barunah Park, Bedford Park, Belimbla Park, Bellbird Park, Belli Park, Bell Park, Bentley Park, Berkshire Park, Berry Park, Beulah Park, Beverley Park, Blackalls Park, Bligh Park, Bluewater Park, Boconnoc Park, Boorabee Park, Bossley Park, Bowan Park, Bowes Park, Bray Park, Brenda Park, Brighton Park, Bronte Park, Brooklyn Park, Brookmans Park, Buckland Park, Bush Hill Park, Bushy Park, Calder Park, Cambridge Park, Camden Park, Cameron Park, Canons Park, Carey Park, Carnarvon Park, Carole Park, Carpenders Park, Carss Park, Cecil Park, Centennial Park, Central Park, Chirnside Park, Clarence Park, Clemton Park, Clifton Park, Clovelly Park, Cobar Park, Codnor Park, Coley Park, College Park, Collingwood Park, Condell Park, Conisbrough Parks, Conjola Park, Coomba Park, Corbould Park, Corman Park, Cottenham Park, Croydon Park, Cumberland Park, Davoren Park, Daw Park, Dean Park, Deer Park, Derwent Park, Devon Park, Douglas Park, Doxford Park, Dudley Park, Dutton Park, East Glacier Park, East Victoria Park, Eden Park, Edensor Park, Edgewater Park, Edmondson Park, Elizabeth Park, Elm Park, Eltham Park, Emerson Park, Emu Park, Englorie Park, Erskine Park, Eschol Park, Estes Park, Evanston Park, Everard Park, Everton Park, Fairview Park, Ferryden Park, Finsbury Park, Flinders Park, Foley Park, Forbes Park, Frazer Park, French Park, Gelston Park, Gidea Park, Gladstone Park, Glenfield Park, Glenmore Park, Glen Park, Globe Derby Park, Gordon Park, Gowrie Park, Grace Park East, Grace Park West, Grange Park, Greenfield Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Grove Park, Hammond Park, Hampden Park, Hampton Park, Hanover Park, Harrington Park, Harris Park, Haverah Park, Hazel Park, Hazelwood Park, Heaton Park, Hensley Park, Heritage Park, Hermit Park, Heyford Park, Highams Park, Highland Park, High Park, Holland Park, Holland Park West, Honor Oak Park, Hopetoun Park, Horningsea Park, Horsley Park, Hoxton Park, Humboldt Park, Hurlstone Park, Hyannis Park, Hyde Park, Hyland Park, Innes Park, Invermay Park, Keilor Park, Kempton Park, Kensington Park, Kidman Park, Kings Park, King's Park, Kingston Park, Kiveton Park, Kunda Park, Kurralta Park, Lake Park, Lalor Park, Land Park, Lethbridge Park, Lexington Park, Lincoln Park, Linden Park, Litchfield Park, Louth Park, Macdonald Park, Macquarie Park, Mannering Park, Manor Park, Mansfield Park, Marsden Park, McKellars Park, Melrose Park, Menangle Park, Mena Park, Merton Park, Mesilla Park, Meyrick Park, Middle Park, Midway Park, Mill Park, Mitchell Park, Mona Park, Moore Park, Moore Park Beach, Moor Park, Moresby Parks, Morgan Park, Morisset Park, Mosman Park, Mosspark, Motspur Park, Mount Warren Park, Mowbray Park, Munds Park, Myall Park, Myrtle Park, Mystic Park, National Park, Newbury Park, New Park, New Parks, Niagara Park, Ninian Park, Noble Park, Noble Park North, Noel Park, Norman Park, Northumberland Park, Northwick Park, Oakey Park, Oakland Park, Oaklands Park, Oakleigh Park, Oak Park, Oatlands Park, Oldfield Park, Orange Park, Oran Park, Orland Park, Orton Park, Osborne Park, Oxley Park, Park Area, Park Avenue, Park Bridge, Park County, Parkdale, Parkend, Park End, Parkfield, Park Grove, Park Hall, Park Hill, Park Holme, Parkhurst, Parklands, Parklea, Parknook, Park Orchards, Park Rapids, Park Ridge, Park Ridge South, Park Royal, Parkside, Park Slope, Park Street, Parkville, Parkwood, Parramatta Park, Philips Park, Phoenix Park, Pinellas Park, Pleasant Park, Plympton Park, Preston Park, Queens Park, Queen's Park, Rankin Park, Ravenscourt Park, Raynes Park, Redwood Park, Regency Park, Regents Park, Regent's Park, Renown Park, Richings Park, Risdon Park, Risdon Park South, Rose Park, Rosny Park, Rosslyn Park, Roxburgh Park, Royal Park, Royston Park, Rye Park, Salisbury Park, Saughall and Shotwick Park, Seacliff Park, Sefton Park, Selly Park, Semaphore Park, Severna Park, Shailer Park, Shanes Park, Sheffield Park, Sheidow Park, Shenton Park, Shorewell Park, Shotwick Park, Siesta Park, Sinnamon Park, Somerton Park, South Park, Spencer Park, St Albans Park, St Anne's Park, Stanwell Park, St Helens Park, St Johns Park, Stuart Park, Stud Park, Suffolk Park, Sundridge Park, Sunset Park, Sydney Olympic Park, Tamala Park, Theresa Park, Thornhill Park, Thorpe Park, Torrens Park, Trafford Park, Tranmere Park, Trinity Park, Trott Park, Tufnell Park, Turvey Park, Tyndall's Park, Unley Park, Upton Park, Vale Park, Victoria Park, Waterford Park, Waterton Park, Wattle Park, Wellington Park, Wembley Park, Wendoree Park, West Bayan Park, Westbourne Park, Westwood Park, Wetherill Park, Wiley Park, Windermere Park, Winter Park, Witton Park, Wonga Park, Woodpark, Woodside Park, Woodville Park, Worcester Park, Yarrawonga Park
park
verb
Etymology From Middle English park, from Old French parc (“livestock pen”), from Medieval Latin parcus, parricus, from Frankish *parrik (“enclosure, pen, fence”). Cognate with Dutch perk (“enclosure; flowerbed”), Old High German pfarrih, pferrih (“enclosure, pen”), Old English pearroc (“enclosure”) (whence modern English paddock), Old Norse parrak, parak (“enclosure, pen; distress, anxiety”), Icelandic parraka (“to keep pent in under restraint and coercion”). More at parrock, paddock.
To bring (something such as a vehicle) to a halt or store in a specified place.
You can park the car in front of the house.
I parked the drive heads of my hard disk before travelling with my laptop.
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Parking is by app, which (when it works) is good. But £7.70 to park is extortionate, so GTR needs to look at reducing that.2025 October 15, 'Mystery Shopper', “About Anglia... and high scores”, in RAIL, number 1046, page 53:
The Harry Potter spin-off prequel series Fantastic Beasts has been “parked” by Warner Bros, according to its director David Yates.2023 October 27, “Fantastic Beasts: JK Rowling franchise has been ‘parked’, director says”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
3
To bring together in a park, or compact body.
to park artillery, wagons, automobiles, etc.
4
To enclose in a park, or as in a park.
O, negligent and heedless discipline! How are we park'd and bounded in a pale, A little herd of England's timorous deer, Mazed with a yelping kennel of French curs!1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
US, Slang To engage in romantic or sexual activities inside a nonmoving vehicle that was driven to a suitable spot for that purpose.
They stopped at a romantic overlook, shut off the engine, and parked.
"What did you do after that?" he asked. - "Went parking over at Silver Lake," replied Betty without hesitation. "Why?" - "I just wondered. Have fun?" "As a matter of fact, I did. Marty's a swell dancer." "That's not what I meant." "What did you mean?" - "I mean after. Parking." - "Yes I did […]"1956, Grace Metalious, Peyton Place, page 199:
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A. Well, I had heard that it was used for parking place, but I never went parking there. Q. Excuse me? A. I had heard that it had been used for a parking place, but I had never gone parking there. Q. When you say “Parking place,” what do you mean? A. With a guy and a girl.1968, “People vs. Hawkins”, in Records & Briefs New York State Appellate Division, page 861:
The Phyllis and me go "parking." This is a very American thing to me, this "parking,” but Phyllis says that this is what couples in this country do when they are dating. We can't go to her house because her parents are there which is okay with me. / We are parking on a quiet street and we get in the backseat of my car. We begin to kiss and I start to feel her body.1996, Joseph Tropiano, Stanley Tucci, Big Night: A Novel with Recipes, page 37:
Tim and I never went parking when we were dating, but now that we've been married, it's been a fun date once in a while. (OK, we never actually leave the driveway, but the car was still parked.)2001, Tamyra Horst, Ratty Bathrobes, Cranky Kids, and Other Romantic Moments, page 47:
They were parking out near the hills. It's a popular spot for submarine races. They went for a little moonlit stroll. I'm sure they had nightmares after what they saw. Mary Alice was hanging from a tree by her bare feet. Naked.2001, James Patterson, Violets Are Blue:
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Informal, Sometimes To sit, recline, or put, especially in a manner suggesting an intent to remain for some time.
He came in and parked himself in our living room.
Park your bags in the hall.
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"Entertain M. Paul while I go and get my shoes. I parked 'em under a rosebush."1930, Sax Rohmer, The Day the World Ended, published 1969, page vii. 59:
[S]o I rode home on my brand new tricycle to find the rest of the family parked in front of the box.1995, Paul Vautin, Turn It Up!, Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, page 87:
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Business, Finance To invest money temporarily in an investment instrument considered to relatively free of risk, especially while awaiting other opportunities.
We decided to park our money in a safe, stable, low-yield bond fund until market conditions improve.
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Internet To register a domain name, but make no use of it (See domain parking)
10
To enclose in a park, or partially enclosed basin.