courtyardful

English

Etymology

From courtyard +‎ -ful.

Noun

courtyardful (plural not attested)

Enough to fill a courtyard.
- [1870s?], T. C. Lord, “A Rabbit Court, and How to Stock It”, in Charles Rayson, editor, Rabbits for Prizes and Profit. Part II. General Management. Part II., London: “The Bazaar” Office, […], page 51:
  It is a bad plan to have the court overstocked with breeders, for the simple reason that they may not always receive the proper amount of attention that a moderate stock would; and if rabbits are neglected it is of no use trying to keep them, as they are then liable at any time to be attacked with the infectious diseases these animals are subject to; and if this were to occur, a whole courtyardful might soon be carried off without the slightest chance of stopping the disease.
- 1944, Forth: The Spirit of Missions‎^[1], page 15:
  Besides the chapel there are study rooms for the students and each Saturday evening a program of gramaphone record music draws a courtyardful of eager listeners.
- 1945, Doris Langley Moore, The Vulgar Heart: An Enquiry into the Sentimental Tendencies of Public Opinion‎^[2], Cassell and Company Ltd., page 95:
  ‘Critic’ of the New Statesman has very justly pointed out that, contrary to popular interpretation, there is excellent support for the advocate of non-violence in the story of a man who picks up a bundle of small cords and with this ferocious weapon drives a great temple courtyardful of tradesmen, herdsmen, and money-changers out into the street.
- 1974, Chou Pang-yen, “Subtlety and Sophistication”, in James J. Y. Liu, editor, Major Lyricists of the Northern Sung: A.D. 960-1126, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 189:
  “Half an acre of blossoming wu-t‘ung trees quietly locks up (so) a courtyardful of sad rain”
- 1999, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, chapter III, in Douglas Hofstadter, transl., Eugene Onegin: A Novel in Verse, Basic Books, →ISBN, verse 3, page 36:
  As maids pranced primly, swiftly out / And crammed the doorjambs, stared in doubt / At this new neighbor’s striking stances, / A courtyardful of local folks / Assessed their steeds with snorts and pokes.
- 2005 February, “Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): Wu Zao (1799–1863): To the Tune of “Clear and Even Music””, in Tony Barnstone, Chou Ping, editors, The Anchor Book of Chinese Poetry, New York, N.Y.: Anchor Books, →ISBN, page 344:
  A courtyardful of bitter rain has sent autumn home; only the poetic impulse has no place to land, disappearing into white clouds and red trees.
- 2005 March 9, “Inspiring advice from Mr Gardeners’ World”, in Homes & Property (Evening Standard), page 34:
  Through the projects he [Monty Don] and his team worked on at Berryfields, the Gardeners’ World gardening playground, you can learn how to create and maintain a spring woodland patch, a drought border, a vegetable plot and a courtyardful of containers, among other delights.

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