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Webster 1913 Edition


Yes

Yes

,
adv.
[OE.
yis
,
ȝis
,
ȝes
,
ȝise
, AS.
gese
,
gise
; probably fr.
geá
yea +
swā
so. √188. See
Yea
, and
So
.]
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.
A word which expresses affirmation or consent; opposed to no; as, are you married, madam? Yes. It is used like yea, to enforce by repetition or addition, something which precedes. You have done all this; yes, you have done more.
Yes, you despise the man to books confind.

Definition 2024


yes

yes

See also: þes

English

Particle

yes

  1. 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.
  2. 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

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

Translations

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!

  1. Used to express pleasure, joy, or great excitement.
    Our second goal of the match! Yes!
  2. Response that confirms that the user is paying attention.

Antonyms

Translations

Noun

yes (plural yeses or yesses)

  1. An affirmative expression; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
    Was that a yes?
  2. 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

  • (answer that shows agreement or acceptance): aye, yea, nod
  • (vote in support): aye, yea

Antonyms

  • (answer that shows agreement or acceptance): no, nay
  • (vote in support): nay

Translations

Verb

yes (third-person singular simple present yeses, present participle yessing, simple past and past participle yessed)

  1. (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; ...
  2. (slang) To attempt to flatter someone by habitually agreeing.

Synonyms

(to approve, to affirm): agree, consent, nod

Translations

Derived terms


Asturian

Verb

yes

  1. second-person singular present indicative of ser

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɛs

Etymology

From English yes.

Interjection

yes

  1. (colloquial) yay

Synonyms


French

Etymology

From English yes.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /jɛs/

Interjection

yes

  1. (chiefly Quebec, colloquial) yes!

Synonyms


Ido

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /jes/

Etymology

From Esperanto jes, from English yes.

Adverb

yes

  1. yes

Antonyms


Novial

Particle

yes

  1. yes

Antonyms


Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English yes.

Particle

yes

  1. yes (word used to show agreement or acceptance)

Interjection

yes

  1. yes (used to express pleasure, joy, or great excitement)