paddock

paddock — noun

1. a fenced piece of land used to keep horses or other animals close to a stable or

1.nounB2
Definition

a fenced piece of land used to keep horses or other animals close to a stable or farm.

Example

The horses spent the cool morning grazing in the paddock behind the barn.

animals in a paddock

After lunch, Ella led the pony back into its muddy paddock.

lead a horse into a paddock

Common collocations
  • horse paddock
  • paddock gate
  • paddock fence
  • turn horses out into the paddock
Synonyms
  • enclosure

    a general word for a closed area, not only for animals

  • pen

    often a smaller space for farm animals

  • corral

    common in North American ranch contexts

Grammar Patterns

animals in a paddock

lead a horse into a paddock

Usage Note

Often used for a smaller enclosed space for animals, especially horses. Distinguish from noun/2, which can name a whole farm field rather than a holding area near the stable.

Common Mistakes

The cows slept in the paddock field by the stable.
The cows slept in the paddock by the stable.
'paddock' already names the enclosed animal area.
The wheat grew well in the horse paddock behind the barn.
The wheat grew well in the west paddock.
crop land uses noun/2, not this smaller animal-enclosure sense.

2. a farm field, often fenced, used for growing crops or letting animals feed.

2.nounC1
Definition

a farm field, often fenced, used for growing crops or letting animals feed.

Example

The tractor crossed the north paddock before sunrise to spray the wheat.

the north/back paddock

Last winter, the river flooded three paddocks near the old bridge.

Common collocations
  • back paddock
  • north paddock
  • flooded paddock
  • plant beans in a paddock
Synonyms
  • field

    the broad everyday word, without the farming tone of 'paddock'

  • pasture

    usually stresses land where animals graze rather than crop land

  • plot

    often suggests a smaller piece of cultivated land

Grammar Patterns

the north/back paddock

plant crops in a paddock

Usage Note

Common in farming contexts for a named field on a property, especially with modifiers such as 'back', 'north', or 'lower'. Distinguish from noun/1, which usually suggests a smaller enclosure for animals near buildings.

Common Mistakes

The farmer planted rice in the small horse paddock by the stable.
The farmer planted rice in the south paddock.
for crops, this sense names a farm field, not a stable-side enclosure.
Three paddock fields were under water after the storm.
Three paddocks were under water after the storm.
'paddock' itself already means a field here.

3. the fenced place at a racecourse where horses or racing cars wait and are displa

3.nounC1
Definition

the fenced place at a racecourse where horses or racing cars wait and are displayed before the event begins.

Example

Fans leaned over the rail to watch the horses circle the paddock.

watch the horses circle the paddock

Ten minutes before the start, the drivers stood beside their cars in the paddock.

Common collocations
  • paddock entrance
  • paddock pass
  • wait in the paddock
  • enter the paddock
Synonyms
  • parade ring

    used mainly in horse racing for the area where horses are walked

  • pit area

    used in motor racing for the team and car zone

  • staging area

    a broader term for a place where people or vehicles wait before action

Grammar Patterns

wait in the paddock before a race

enter the paddock

Usage Note

At horse races, this often means the ring where horses are walked before the race. In motor racing, it can mean the controlled area where cars and teams stay before going out.

Common Mistakes

We parked the truck in the paddock for three months.
We parked the truck in the shed for three months.
this sense is the racecourse holding area before an event, not long-term storage.
The fans ate lunch somewhere in the paddock.
The fans watched the horses in the paddock.
this sense names the controlled pre-race area, not the whole public racecourse.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun/1, 'paddock' usually suggests a fenced outdoor space for horses or other animals, often beside a stable or barn. 'Enclosure' is broader and can describe any closed area, even in a zoo. 'Pen' often means a smaller, simpler place for farm animals such as pigs or sheep. 'Corral' is especially common in North American ranch English and often sounds more rugged. 'Pasture' focuses on grazing land and does not always suggest a small enclosed space near buildings. If a pony is resting behind the stable, 'paddock' fits well. If cattle are feeding over a wide open area, 'pasture' is often the better choice.

enclosure ↗pen ↗corralpasture ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • paddock fence
  • paddock gate
  • paddock rail

Phrases

  • cross the paddock
  • open the paddock gate
  • stand by the paddock fence

Prepositions

  • in the paddock
  • into the paddock
  • across the paddock

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Paddock' comes from an older English word for a small enclosed piece of land. That earlier form goes back to Old English 'pearroc', which referred to a park, pen, or fenced area. Through Middle English spellings such as 'parrock', the form gradually developed into modern 'paddock'. The racing sense grew later from the same basic idea of an enclosed place where animals or vehicles are kept before use.