Skip to main content
×
Close
Start typing to search.
Dictionary
Store
Blog
World
Help
Advertise
Chat
System Status
Information Collection Notice
Trademark Concerns
reCAPTCHA Privacy
Terms of Service
reCAPTCHA Terms
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Report a Bug
Data Request
Contact Us
Security
DMCA
© 1999–2026 Urban Dictionary ®
Store
Books
Regional
Mugs
Tees
Hoodies
Beanies
Halloween
Request a product
Pro Customization
Create unique products with your own words and definitions
Preview
Personalize Your Design
Your Word
Your Definition
Phrase used in Horace Book III Ode IX. The yoke has of connotations of subservience; in some ancient cultures it was traditional to force a defeated enemy to pass beneath a symbolic yoke of spears or swords. A remnant of this tradition is the saber arch seen at some military weddings. The yoke may be a metaphor for something oppressive or burdensome, such as imperialism, or for a link or bond between two people, such as marriage. The yoke is frequently used metaphorically in the Bible, first in Genesis regarding Esau.
Text fits
Save
Cancel
Feedback