Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


We

We

(wē)
,
p
ron.
;
pl.
of I.
[
P
oss.
Our
(our)
or
Ours
(ourz)
;
obj.
Us
(ŭs)
. See
I
.]
[As.
wē
; akin to OS.
wī
, OFries. & LG.
wi
, D.
wij
, G.
wir
, Icel.
vēr
, Sw. & Dan.
vi
, Goth.
weis
, Skr.
vayam
. √190.]
The plural nominative case of the pronoun of the first person; the word with which a person in speaking or writing denotes a number or company of which he is one, as the subject of an action expressed by a verb.
We is frequently used to express men in general, including the speaker. We is also often used by individuals, as authors, editors, etc., in speaking of themselves, in order to avoid the appearance of egotism in the too frequent repetition of the pronoun I. The plural style is also in use among kings and other sovereigns, and is said to have been begun by King John of England. Before that time, monarchs used the singular number in their edicts. The German and the French sovereigns followed the example of King John in
a. d.
1200.

Webster 1828 Edition


We

WE

, pron. plu. of I; or rather a different word, denoting the person speaking and another or others with him. I and John, the speaker calls we, or I and John and Thomas; or I and many others. In the objective case,
us.
We is used to express men in general, including the speaker.
Vice seen too oft, familiar with her face, we first endure, then pity, then embrace.

Definition 2024


we

we

See also: WE, w/e, , , , and

English

Pronoun

we (first-person plural, nominative case, objective case us, reflexive ourselves, possessive (with noun) our, possessive (without noun) ours)

  1. (personal) The speakers/writers, or the speaker/writer and at least one other person (not the person being addressed). (This is the exclusive we.)
  2. (personal) The speaker(s)/writer(s) and the person(s) being addressed. (This is the inclusive we.)
  3. (personal) The speaker/writer alone. (This use of we is the editorial we, used by writers and others, including royalty—the royal we—as a less personal substitute for I. The reflexive case of this sense of we is ourself.)
  4. (personal) The plural form of you, including everyone being addressed.
    How are we all tonight?
  5. (personal, generally considered patronising) A second- or third-person pronoun for a person in the speaker's care.
    How are we feeling this morning?

Translations

Determiner

we

  1. The speakers/writers, or the speaker/writer and at least one other person.
    We Canadians like to think of ourselves as different.

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: so · me · an · #42: we · who · said · would

Anagrams


Caac

Determiner

we

  1. water
    kô-ny we
    'my (glass/drink of) water'

References


Chuukese

Determiner

we (plural kewe)

  1. (possessive subject marker) the (singular)

Dadibi

Noun

wẹ

  1. water

Synonyms

References

  • Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
  • Karl James Franklin, Pacific Linguistics (1973, ISBN 0858831007), page 130: Polopa so/sou woman, cf. DAR sou female animal but we woman. Several multiple cognate sets appeared in the data. Daribi uses both ạị and wẹ for water; some Polopa speakers gave one term, some another. Both are probably known everywhere.

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʋə/

Etymology

See wij.

Pronoun

we (personal pronoun)

  1. we

Inflection


Synonyms

See also


Fwâi

we

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

Galoli

Noun

we

  1. (Talur) water

References


Haeke

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • Jean Claude Rivierre, Sabine Ehrhart, Raymond Diéla, Le Bwatoo: et les dialectes de la région de Koné (2006)

Haveke

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • Jean Claude Rivierre, Sabine Ehrhart, Raymond Diéla, Le Bwatoo: et les dialectes de la région de Koné (2006)

Ido

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /we/, /wɛ/

Noun

we (plural we-i)

  1. The name of the Latin script letter W/w.

See also


Japanese

Romanization

we

  1. rōmaji reading of
  2. rōmaji reading of
  3. rōmaji reading of うぇ
  4. rōmaji reading of ウェ

Jawe

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

Lamboya

Noun

we

  1. water

References

  • ABVD
  • Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [wɛ]

Preposition

we (with locative; especially before labial consonants and consonant clusters)

  1. Alternative form of w

Mapudungun

Adjective

we (using Raguileo Alphabet)

  1. new, recent

References

  • Wixaleyiñ: Mapucezugun-wigkazugun pici hemvlcijka (Wixaleyiñ: Small Mapudungun-Spanish dictionary), Beretta, Marta; Cañumil, Dario; Cañumil, Tulio, 2008.

Middle Low German

Pronunciation

  • Certainly: Stem vowel: ê⁴
    • (originally) IPA(key): /weː/

Etymology 1

From Old Saxon hwē, from Proto-Germanic *hwaz.

Pronoun

(accusative wēne or wen, dative wēme or wem, genitive wes)

  1. (interrogative, masculine, feminine) who

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *wiz.

Pronoun

  1. (personal, first person, plural, nominative) Alternative form of .

Nedebang

Noun

we

  1. blood

References

  • Gary Holton and Laura Robinson, The Internal History of the Alor-Pantar language family, in The Alor-Pantar languages: History and Typology, edited by Marian Klamer
  • transnewguinea.org (wæ), ASJP 1 (wE i.e. wɛ), ASJP 2 (we)

Nemi

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

Nyâlayu

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • Jim Hollyman, K. J. Hollyman, Études sur les langues du Nord de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (1991), page 81

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wiz, *wīz, from Proto-Indo-European *wéy-, plural of *éǵh₂. Cognate with Old Frisian (West Frisian wy), Old Saxon (Low German wi), Old Dutch (Dutch wij), Old High German wir (German wir), Old Norse vér (Danish and Swedish vi), Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃 (weis).

Pronunciation

Pronoun

(personal pronoun)

  1. we (nominative plural form of )

Descendants

  • Middle English:
    • English: we

Pije

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

Polish

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *vъ(n), from Proto-Indo-European *én

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vɛ/

Preposition

we (before words that begin with awkward consonant clusters)

  1. (+ locative) in
  2. (+ accusative) into, in

Spanish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /we/, /wei/

Etymology

Variant of güey, representing the relaxed pronunciation of the /gw/ sounds and in some cases loss of the /i/ sound.

Noun

we m, f (plural wees)

  1. (colloquial) dude, guy, buddy
  2. (Mexico, colloquial slang) chump, punk, dumbass, idiot, jerk

Synonyms


Tocharian A

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *dwóy(h₁). Compare also wu.

Numeral

we f

  1. (cardinal) two

Related terms


Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English where.

Adverb

we

  1. where
    • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Genesis 3:9 (translation here):
      Tasol God, Bikpela i singaut long man na i tok, “Yu stap we?”
This entry has fewer than three known examples of actual usage, the minimum considered necessary for clear attestation, and may not be reliable. Tok Pisin is subject to a special exemption for languages with limited documentation. If you speak it, please consider editing this entry or adding citations. See also Help and the Community Portal.

Turkmen

Noun

we (definite accusative }}}, plural }}})

  1. The name of the Latin-script letter W/w.

Welsh

Noun

we

  1. Soft mutation of gwe.

Yuaga

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

  • Jim Hollyman, K. J. Hollyman, Études sur les langues du Nord de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (1999), page 81

Zulu

Pronoun

-we

  1. Combining stem of wena.

See also