yo ['yō] -interj

  1. used esp. to call attention, to indicate attentiveness, or to express affirmation

YO -abbr

  1. year old; years old

yob ['yäb] -n

  1. yobbo

YOB -abbr

  1. year of birth

yob·bo ['yä-bō] -n

  1. lout, yokel
  2. hoodlum

yock ['yək] -n

(variant of yuk)

  1. laugh
    • did it just for yuk s
  2. joke, gag
  3. laugh, joke usu. used in the phrase yuk it up

yoc·to- -comb form

  1. one septillionth (10 24) part of
    • yocto second

yoc·to·sec·ond ['yäk-tə-,se-kənd, -kənt] -n

  1. one septillionth of a second

yod ['yȯd, 'yu̇d] -n

  1. the 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet

yo·del ['yō-dᵊl] -vb, n

  1. to sing by suddenly changing from a natural voice to a falsetto and back
  2. to shout or call in a similar manner
  3. to sing (a tune) by yodeling

yodel -n

  1. a song or refrain sung by yodeling
  2. a yodeled shout or cry

yo·ga ['yō-gə] -n, adj

  1. a Hindu theistic philosophy teaching the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will in order that the self may realize its distinction from them and attain liberation
  2. a system of exercises for attaining bodily or mental control and well-being

yogh ['yōk, 'yōg, 'yōk̲] -n

  1. the letter used esp. in Middle English chiefly to represent voiced and voiceless velar and palatal fricatives

yo·gi ['yō-gē] -n

  1. a person who practices yoga
  2. an adherent of Yoga philosophy
  3. a markedly reflective or mystical person

yo·gurt ['yō-gərt] -n

  1. a fermented slightly acid often flavored semisolid food made of milk and milk solids to which cultures of two bacteria ( Lactobacillus bulgaricusand Streptococcus thermophilus) have been added

yo·him·be [yō-'him-bā, yə-, -bē] -n

  1. a tropical African tree ( Pausinystalia yohimbesyn. Corynanthe yohimbe) of the madder family whose bark yields yohimbine
  2. a preparation of the bark that is used esp. as an aphrodisiac

yo·him·bine [yō-'him-,bēn, -bən] -n

  1. an alkaloid C 21H 26N 2O 3obtained from the bark of the yohimbe that is a weak blocker of alpha-adrenergic receptors and has been used as an aphrodisiac

yoicks ['yȯiks] -interj

  1. used as a cry of encouragement to foxhounds

yoke ['yōk] -n

  1. a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together
  2. an arched device formerly laid on the neck of a defeated person
  3. a frame fitted to a person's shoulders to carry a load in two equal portions
  4. a bar by which the end of the tongue of a wagon or carriage is suspended from the collars of the harness
  5. a crosspiece on the head of a boat's rudder
  6. an airplane control operating the elevators and ailerons
  7. a frame from which a bell is hung
  8. a clamp or similar piece that embraces two parts to hold or unite them in position
  9. two animals yoked or worked together
  10. an oppressive agency
  11. servitude, bondage
  12. tie, link
  13. marriage
  14. a fitted or shaped piece at the top of a skirt or at the shoulder of various garments
  15. to put a yoke on
  16. to join in or with a yoke
  17. to attach a draft animal to
  18. to attach (a draft animal) to something
  19. to join as if by a yoke
  20. to put to work
  21. to become joined or linked

yoke·fel·low ['yōk-,fe-(,)lō] -n

  1. a close companion : mate

yo·kel ['yō-kəl] -n

  1. a naive or gullible inhabitant of a rural area or small town

yolk ['yōk, 'yelk (in cultivated speech, esp Southern), also 'yōlk, 'yȯlk, 'yälk, 'yəlk] -n, adj

  1. the yellow spheroidal mass of stored food that forms the inner portion of the egg of a bird or reptile and is surrounded by the white
  2. the whole contents of an animal ovum consisting of a protoplasmic formative portion and an inert nutritive portion
  3. material stored in an animal ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol
  4. oily material in unprocessed sheep wool consisting of wool fat, suint, and debris

yolk sac -n

  1. a membranous sac of most vertebrates that encloses the yolk, is attached in most forms (as in humans) through the yolk stalk with the intestinal cavity of the embryo, and is supplied with blood vessels that transport nutritive yolk products to the developing embryo

yolk stalk -n

  1. the narrow tubular stalk connecting the yolk sac with the embryo

Yom Kip·pur [,yōm-ki-'pu̇r, ,yȯm-, ,yäm-; -'ki-pər, -(,)pu̇r] -n

  1. a Jewish holiday observed with fasting and prayer on the 10th day of Tishri in accordance with the rites described in Leviticus 16 called also Day of Atonement

yon ['yän] -adj

  1. yonder
  2. that or those yonder
  3. yonder
  4. thither
    • ran hither and yon

yond ['yänd] -adv

  1. yonder
  2. yonder

yon·der ['yän-dər] -adv

  1. at or in that indicated more or less distant place usu. within sight

yonder -adj

  1. farther removed : more distant
  2. being at a distance within view or at a place or in a direction known or indicated
  3. something that is or is in an indicated more or less distant place

yo·ni ['yō-nē] -n, adj

  1. a stylized representation of the female genitalia that in Hinduism is a sign of generative power and that symbolizes the goddess Shakti

yoohoo ['yü-(,)hü] -interj

  1. used to attract attention or as a call to persons

yore ['yȯr] -n

  1. time past and esp. long past usu. used in the phrase of yore

York·ie ['yȯr-kē] -n

  1. yorkshire terrier

York·ist ['yȯr-kist] -adj, n

  1. of or relating to the English royal house that ruled from 1461 to 1485

York rite ['yȯrk-] -n

  1. a ceremonial observed by one of the Masonic systems
  2. a system or organization that observes the York rite and confers in the U.S. 13 degrees of which the last three are in commanderies of Knights Templar

York·shire ['yȯrk-,shir, -shər] -n

  1. a white swine of any of several breeds or strains originated in Yorkshire, England

Yorkshire pudding -n

  1. batter consisting of eggs, flour, and milk that is baked in meat drippings

Yorkshire terrier -n

  1. any of a breed of compact toy terriers with long straight silky hair mostly bluish gray but tan on the head and chest

Yor·u·ba ['yȯr-ə-bə] -n, n or adj

  1. a Niger-Congo language of southwestern Nigeria and parts of Benin and Togo
  2. a member of any of the Yoruba-speaking peoples of this region

yot·ta- -comb form

  1. septillion (10 24)
    • yotta byte

yot·ta·byte ['yä-tə-,bīt] -n

  1. one septillion bytes

you ['yü, yə also] -pron

  1. the one or ones being addressed used as the pronoun of the second person singular or plural in any grammatical relation except that of a possessive
    • you may sit in that chair
    • you are my friends
    • can I pour you a cup of tea
    used formerly only as a plural pronoun of the second person in the dative or accusative case as direct or indirect object of a verb or as object of a preposition
  2. one
    • after a while, it grows on you

youall [yü-'ȯl, 'yü-,; 'yȯl] -pron

  1. you usu. used in addressing two or more persons

you'd ['yüd, 'yu̇d, yəd]

  1. you had : you would

you'll ['yül, 'yu̇l, yəl]

  1. you will : you shall

young ['yəŋ] -adj, n

  1. being in the first or an early stage of life, growth, or development
  2. junior
  3. of an early, tender, or desirable age for use as food or drink
    • fresh young lamb
    • a young wine
  4. having little experience
  5. recently come into being : new
    • a young publishing company
  6. youthful
  7. of, relating to, or having the characteristics of youth or a young person
    • young at heart
  8. representing a new or rejuvenated esp. political group or movement
  9. young persons : youth
  10. immature offspring used esp. of animals
  11. a single recently born or hatched animal

young·ber·ry ['yəŋ-,ber-ē] -n

  1. the large sweet reddish-black fruit of a cultivar of a bramble closely related to the boysenberry and loganberry and grown in the western and southern U.S.
  2. a bramble bearing youngberries

young·blood ['yəŋ-,bləd] -n

  1. a young inexperienced person
  2. one who is newly prominent in a field of endeavor
    • jazz youngblood s
  3. a young black American male

youn·ger ['yəŋ-gər] -n

  1. an inferior in age : junior usu. used with a possessive pronoun
    • is several years his younger

youn·gest ['yəŋ-gəst] -n

  1. one that is the least old
  2. the youngest child or member of a family

young·ling ['yəŋ-liŋ] -n, adj

  1. one that is young
  2. a young person or animal

young·ster ['yəŋ(k)-stər] -n

  1. a young person : youth
  2. child
  3. a young animal or plant esp. of a domesticated or cultivated breed or type

young Turk -n

  1. an insurgent or a member of an insurgent group esp. in a political party : radical
  2. one advocating changes within a usu. established group

youn·ker ['yəŋ-kər] -n

  1. a young man
  2. child, youngster

your [yər, 'yu̇r, 'yȯr] -adj

  1. of or relating to you or yourself or yourselves esp. as possessor or possessors
    • your bodies
    , agent or agents
    • your contributions
    , or object or objects of an action
    • your discharge
  2. of or relating to one or oneself
    • when you face the north, east is at your right
  3. used with little or no meaning almost as an equivalent to the definite article the
    • your typical teenager

you're [yər, 'yu̇r, 'yȯr, ,yü-ər]

  1. you are

yours ['yu̇rz, 'yȯrz] -pron, sing or pl in constr

  1. that which belongs to you used without a following noun as a pronoun equivalent in meaning to the adjective your
    • this book is yours
    often used esp. with an adverbial modifier in the complimentary close of a letter
    • yours truly

your·self [yər-'self, Southern also -'sef] -pron

  1. that identical one that is you used reflexively
    • you might hurt yourself
    , for emphasis
    • carry them yourself
    , or in absolute constructions
  2. your normal, healthy, or sane condition or self
    • you haven't been yourself lately
  3. oneself

your·selves [-'selvz, Southern also -'sevz] -pron pl

  1. those identical ones that are you used reflexively
    • get yourselves a treat
    , for emphasis, or in absolute constructions
  2. your normal, healthy, or sane condition or selves
    • you will feel more like yourselves after a good rest

youth ['yüth] -n

  1. the time of life when one is young
  2. the period between childhood and maturity
  3. the early period of existence, growth, or development
  4. a young person
  5. a young male between adolescence and maturity
  6. young persons or creatures usu. pl. in constr.
  7. the quality or state of being youthful : youthfulness

youth·ful ['yüth-fəl] -adj, adv, n

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of youth
    • youthful inexperience
  2. being young and not yet mature
  3. marked by or possessing youth
    • youthful dancers
  4. having the vitality or freshness of youth : vigorous
    • my youthful grandparents
  5. having accomplished or undergone little erosion
    • youthful mountains

youth hostel -n

  1. hostel

youth·quake [-,kwāk] -n

  1. a shift in cultural norms influenced by the values, tastes, and mores of young people

you've ['yüv, yəv]

  1. you have

yowl ['yau̇(-ə)l] -vb

  1. to utter a loud long cry of grief, pain, or distress : wail
  2. to complain or protest with or as if with yowls
  3. to express with yowling
  4. a loud long mournful wail or howl (as of a cat)

yoyo ['yō-(,)yō] -n

  1. a thick grooved double disk with a string attached to its center axle that is made to fall and rise to the hand by unwinding and rewinding on the string
  2. a condition or situation marked by regular fluctuations from one extreme to another
  3. a stupid or foolish person
  4. shifting back and forth or up and down uncertainly or unexpectedly
  5. to move from one position to another repeatedly : fluctuate
    • the stock price yoyo ed