Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Yes
Yes
,adv.
Ay; yea; – a word which expresses affirmation or consent; – opposed to
no
. ☞ Yes is used, like yea, to enforce, by repetition or addition, something which precedes; as, you have done all this – yes, you have done more. “Yes, you despise the man books confined.”
Pope.
☞ “The fine distinction between ‘yea’ and ‘yes,' ‘nay' and ‘no,' that once existed in English, has quite disappeared. ‘Yea' and ‘nay' in Wyclif's time, and a good deal later, were the answers to questions framed in the affirmative. ‘Will he come?' To this it would have been replied, ‘Yea' or ‘Nay', as the case might be. But, ‘Will he not come?' To this the answer would have been ‘Yes' or ‘No.' Sir Thomas More finds fault with Tyndale, that in his translation of the Bible he had not observed this distinction, which was evidently therefore going out even then, that is, in the reign of Henry VIII.; and shortly after it was quite forgotten.”
Trench.
Webster 1828 Edition
Yes
YES
,adv.
Yes, you despise the man to books confind.
Definition 2024
yes
yes
See also: þes
English
Particle
yes
- A word 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.
- A word 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!
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.
- See also: Wikisaurus:yes
Antonyms
- Standard form: no
- Nautical, military, telecommunications: negative
- Dialect or archaic forms: nay
- Colloquial or slang forms: ixnay, nah, naw, nope
- See also: Wikisaurus:no
Coordinate terms
- (expression of agreement or acceptance): nod
Derived terms
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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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 above.
Interjection
yes!
- Used to express pleasure, joy, or great excitement.
- Our second goal of the match! Yes!
- Response that confirms that the user is paying attention.
Antonyms
Translations
expression of pleasure, joy or great excitement
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Noun
- An affirmative expression; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
- Was that a yes?
- A vote of support or in favor/favour of something.
- The workers voted on whether to strike, and there were thirty "yeses" and one "no".
Synonyms
Antonyms
Translations
answer that shows agreement or acceptance
vote of support
Verb
yes (third-person singular simple present yeses, present participle yessing, simple past and past participle yessed)
- (colloquial, transitive) To agree with, to affirm, to approve.
- Did he yes the veto?
- 1972 Oct, Barth, John, “Perseid”, in Harper's Magazine, page 79:
- "That's really what you wanted?" I yessed both; ...
- (slang) To attempt to flatter someone by habitually agreeing.
Synonyms
(to approve, to affirm): agree, consent, nod
Translations
attempt to flatter by agreeing
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Derived terms
French
Etymology
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jɛs/
Interjection
yes
- (chiefly Quebec, colloquial) yes!