Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
inn yard

inn yard

5.5
An open yard at an inn where people meet and tie horses
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : patio de la posada

Examples

  • The actors performed their play in the inn yard before a lively crowd.

  • Horses were tied up in the inn yard while their owners rested inside.

  • Merchants met in the inn yard to discuss business before continuing their journey.

  • The inn yard was filled with laughter.

  • We gathered in the inn yard for dinner.

  • The children played games in the inn yard while their parents chatted nearby.

  • After a long journey, the travelers relaxed in the peaceful inn yard under the shade of a large tree.

  • The horses were tied to posts in the inn yard as the guests enjoyed their meals outdoors.

Synonyms

yard
vsinn yard
651 1.0

An area of land next to a building, often fenced, used for animals, work or play

is specifically tied to public lodging and often hosts both people and horses
courtyard
vsinn yard
99 2.2

An open area inside buildings, often like the space in a house or castle

is more for gatherings and keeping horses at public lodging
corral
vsinn yard
  • US
30 5.3

An enclosure for keeping farm animals like cattle or horses

is more for general gatherings and mixed uses at public lodging
garth
vsinn yard
  • Archaic
9 9.9

A small garden next to a house or church

is larger and used socially and for stabling animals at public lodging
dooryard
vsinn yard
  • Archaic
3 7.9

An area just outside a house door where people walk and plant things

is centered at public lodging and also serves for gatherings and horses

How Spacious

plaza
125 2.7
square
417 1.0
yard
651 1.0
inn yard
  • Archaic
5.5
alley
349 1.0

Surface Forms

inn yard singular
inn yards plural

Morphology

inn + yard

The meaning 'a courtyard or open area at an inn' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'inn' (a place for travelers) with 'yard' (an area of ground around a building). This simple noun+noun composition follows regular English compounding patterns and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Inn yard gives the picture of an inn with an open yard where travelers, merchants, and actors met and tied their horses. So, inn yard means 'a courtyard or open area at an inn used for gatherings or for keeping horses'.