Meanings
nounyard goat (plural yard goats)
plural yard goats
- datedA switcher or shunter: a railroad locomotive used for shunting.
Origin
In reference to the traditional use of goats to pull carts, etc.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
yard goat. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yard%20goat
MLA
“yard goat.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yard%20goat. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “yard goat,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yard%20goat.
Source: yard goat on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.