Word of the day: hacienda

The word of the day is hacienda:

1. a large landed estate, especially one used for farming or ranching.
2. the main house on such an estate.
3. a stock raising, mining, or manufacturing establishment in the country. 

1760, from Sp., "estate, plantation," from L. facienda "things to be done," from facere "to do" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hacienda)

"They knew the meeting must be important.  To make sure everyone could come, the elders had called for this evening, on a Sunday.  And to hide it from the hacienda foremen, they had passed the word around in private instead of ringing the church bell."

 - John Womack, Zapata and the Mexican Revolution