yes
See also: þes
Translingual
Etymology
Clipping of English Yeskwa.
Symbol
yes
See also
- Wiktionary’s coverage of Yeskwa terms
English
Etymology
From Middle English yes, from Old English ġīese (“by all means, of course, yes”), derived from the same root as yea. Compare Faroese júsá (“yes, indeed, certainly”).
Pronunciation
- (UK, US) IPA(key): /jɛs/
- (New Zealand) IPA(key): /jes/
Audio: (file)
- Rhymes: -ɛs
Particle
yes
- Used to show agreement or acceptance.
- Yes, you are correct.
- Yes, you may go play outside now.
- Yes, sir, we have your package right here.
- 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
- Hi, Jonathan. Are you busy? — Yes, I’m busy.
- Used to indicate disagreement or dissent in reply to a negative statement.
- It was not my fault we lost the race.
Oh, yes, it was!
- (humorous) Answer to a question presuming one answer when all answers are correct.
- Do you like cake, or pie?
Yes.
Usage notes
- In Old and Middle English, yes was a more forceful affirmative than yea.
- An example of yes used to disagree with a statement: the questions "You don’t want it, do you?" and "Don’t you want it?" are answered by "yes" if the respondent does want the item, and "no" if not. Many languages use a specific word for this purpose; see translation table below.
Synonyms
- Dialect or archaic forms: arr, ay, aye, yea, yassuh
- Nautical, military, telecommunications: affirmative
- Colloquial or slang forms: ya, yah, yeah, yeh, yep, yeppers, yup, yuppers, yus, ahuh, mhm, uh huh, ye-es
- See also: Thesaurus:yes
Antonyms
- Standard form: no
- Nautical, military, telecommunications: negative
- Dialect or archaic forms: nay
- Colloquial or slang forms: ixnay, nah, naw, nope
- See also: Thesaurus:no
Coordinate terms
- (expression of agreement or acceptance): nod
Derived terms
Translations
word used to indicate agreement or acceptance
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word used to indicate disagreement or dissent in reply to a negative statement
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Interjection
yes
- An exclamation of pleasure or approval, usually transcribed with an exclamation point.
- Antonym: no
- Our second goal of the match! Yes!
- Response that confirms that the user is paying attention.
- (interrogative) Used to ask for more information with a request.
- I need some help.
Yes?
Translations
expression of pleasure, joy or great excitement — see also yay
|
response that confirms attention
response that asks for more information about a request
Noun
- An affirmative expression; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
- 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 121:
- Yet a woman’s “yes” would have bound him to that other life forever, and made the thought of this savage existence repulsive.
- A vote of support or in favor of something.
Translations
answer that shows agreement or acceptance
|
vote of support
Verb
yes (third-person singular simple present yesses or yeses, present participle yessing, simple past and past participle yessed)
- (colloquial, transitive) To agree with, affirm, approve.
- 1972 Oct, John Barth, “Perseid”, in Harper's Magazine, page 79:
- "That's really what you wanted?" I yessed both; ...
- (colloquial, intransitive) To say “yes”.
- 1923 February 25, “Going Up!”, in Sunday State Journal, Lincoln, Neb., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 12—B, column 2:
- The next day another writer asked us: “Didja hear about So-and-So? Got two hundred and fifty bucks for an idea!” We “yessed” and went our way.
- 2005, Tyree Campbell, chapter 11, in Nyx, Cedar Rapids, Ia.: Sam’s Dot Publishing, page 93:
- "[…] Are you—?" / ". . . all right?" / We yessed simultaneously. / "At least, I think so."
- (slang) To attempt to flatter someone by habitually agreeing
Derived terms
Translations
to affirm
attempt to flatter by agreeing
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See also
Anagrams
Asturian
Verb
yes
- second-person singular present indicative of ser
Coatepec Nahuatl
Noun
yes
Danish
Etymology
Interjection
yes
- (colloquial) Expression of triumph, vehement approval, etc.
Dutch
Etymology
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jɛs/
Audio: (file) - Hyphenation: yes
- Rhymes: -ɛs
Interjection
yes
- (colloquial) yay (exclamation of happiness or enthusiasm)
French
Etymology
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jɛs/
Audio: (file)
Interjection
yes
- (chiefly North America, colloquial) !
- Synonym: oui
Ido
Etymology
From Esperanto jes, from English yes.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jes/
Adverb
yes
Middle English
Etymology 1
Noun
yes (uncountable)
- alternative form of is (“ice”)
Etymology 2
Interjection
yes
- alternative form of yis (“yes”)
Etymology 3
Determiner
yes
- (East Anglia) alternative form of þes (“these”)
Etymology 4
Noun
yes
- (Late Middle English) plural of ye (“eye”)
Spanish
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -es
- Syllabification: yes
Noun
yes f pl
- plural of ye
Swedish
Etymology
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jɛs/
Interjection
yes
- (colloquial) yes
- Yes, det stämmer
- Yep, that's correct
- Yes! Där satt den! Rätt upp i krysset.
- Yes! Nailed it! ["There (just now) it sat!" (where I wanted it – the goal in this case – also used more abstractly for "You've got it!" and the like) – colloquial] Straight into the top corner.
See also
References
Tocharian B
Pronoun
yes
See also
Tok Pisin
Etymology
Particle
yes
- yes (word used to show agreement or acceptance)
Interjection
yes
- yes (used to express pleasure, joy, or great excitement)