A lariat is a long rope with a loop at one end, used to catch cattle or horses — the same tool most people call a lasso. Lariat is the cowboy word, strong in American West speech and in Western films.

A lariat套索 is a long rope with a loop at one end是一種一端有繩圈的長繩, used to catch cattle or horses用來套住牛或馬 — the same tool most people call a lasso就是大多數人叫lasso的那種工具。Lariat is the cowboy wordLariat是牛仔用的字, strong in American West speech and in Western films在美國西部的說法和西部片裡很常見。

You whirl the loop, throw it, and pull. The English word is just Spanish la reata (the rope, the lasso) heard as one lump, which is why it starts with l.

You whirl the loop你把繩圈甩起來, throw it丟出去, and pull再拉回來。The English word is just Spanish la reata這個英文字其實就是西班牙語la reata (the rope, the lasso)（那條繩子、那個lasso） heard as one lump被聽成一整塊音而來的, which is why it starts with l這就是為什麼它是以l開頭的原因。

You can also use it as a verb: to lariat an animal is to catch it with that rope. In everyday English outside ranch country, lasso is the word students will meet more.

You can also use it as a verb你也可以把它當動詞用：to lariat an animalto lariat an animal is to catch it with that rope就是用那條繩子抓住牠。In everyday English outside ranch country在牧場以外的日常英語裡, lasso is the word students will meet more學生比較會遇到的字是lasso。

If you hear lariat, picture the same rope, with a bit more dust and cowboy on it.

If you hear lariat如果你聽到lariat, picture the same rope就想像同一條繩子, with a bit more dust and cowboy on it只是多了一點塵土和牛仔味。