park

park

Large outdoor area set aside for recreation. The earliest parks were hunting grounds of the Persian kings; such reserves became shaped by riding paths and shelters. A second type of park derived from the open-air meeting places of Greece, where the functions of an area for exercise, social concourse, and athletes' training ground were combined with elements of a sculpture gallery and religious centre. Parks of post-Renaissance times featured extensive woods, raised galleries, and often elaborate aviaries and cages for wild animals. What often differentiates present-day parks from parks of the past is their accommodation for active recreation; facilities may include outdoor theatres, zoos, concert shells, concessions for dining and dancing, amusement areas, boating areas, and areas for sports. See also national park.

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park

To retract the read/write head on a hard disk to its home location before the unit is physically moved in order to prevent damage. Most modern drives park themselves when the power is turned off. See drop protection.

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park

1. a large area of land preserved in a natural state for recreational use by the public

2. a piece of open land in a town with public amenities

3. NZ an area, esp of mountain country, reserved for recreational purposes

4. a large area of land forming a private estate

5. English law an enclosed tract of land where wild beasts are protected, acquired by a subject by royal grant or prescription

6. an area designed and landscaped to accommodate a group of related enterprises, businesses, research establishments, etc.

7. US, Canadian, and NZ See car park

8. the park Brit informal a soccer pitch

9. a gear selector position on the automatic transmission of a motor vehicle that acts as a parking brake

10. a high valley surrounded by mountains in the western US

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Park

1. Mungo . 1771--1806, Scottish explorer. He led two expeditions (1795--97; 1805--06) to trace the course of the Niger in Africa. He was drowned during the second expedition

2. Nick, full name Nicholas Wulstan Park. born 1958, British animator and film director; his films include A Grand Day Out (1992), which introduced the characters Wallace and Gromit, and the feature-length Chicken Run (2000)

3. Chung Hee. . 1917--79, South Korean politician; president of the Republic of Korea (1963--79); assassinated