Adjacent Words

You definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

YOU, pron. Yu. [You has been considered as in the plural only, and is so treated in the Saxon grammar. But from the Belgic dialect, it appears to be in the singular as well as the plural, and our universal popular usage, in applying it to a single person with a verb in the singular number, is correct. Yourself is in the singular number.]
1. The pronoun of the second person, in the nominative or objective case. In familiar language, it is applied to an individual, as thou is in the solemn style. In the plural, it is used in the solemn style in the objective case.
In vain you tell your parting lover, you wish fair winds may waft him over.
He that despiseth you, despiseth me. Luke 10.
2. You is used, like on in French, for any one. This at a distance looks like a rock; but as you approach it, you see a little cabin.

Merriam Webster's

pronoun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ?ow, dative & accusative of g? you; akin to Old High German iu, dative of ir you, Sanskrit y?yam you Date: before 12th century 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; compare thee, thou, ye, your, yours 2. one 2a <after a while, it grows on you>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

pron. (obj. you; poss. your, yours) 1 used with reference to the person or persons addressed or one such person and one or more associated persons. 2 (as int. with a noun) in an exclamatory statement (you fools!). 3 (in general statements) one, a person, anyone, or everyone (it's bad at first, but you get used to it). Phrases and idioms: you-all US colloq. you (usu. more than one person). you and yours you together with your family, property, etc. you-know-what (or -who) something or someone unspecified but understood. Etymology: OE eow accus. & dative of ge YE(1) f. WG: supplanting ye because of the more frequent use of the obj. case, and thou and thee as the more courteous form

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

You You ([=u]), pron. [Possess. Your ([=u]r) or Yours ([=u]rz); dat. & obj. You.] [OE. you, eou, eow, dat. & acc., AS. e['o]w, used as dat. & acc. of ge, g[=e], ye; akin to OFries. iu, io, D. u, G. euch, OHG. iu, dat., iuwih, acc., Icel. y[eth]r, dat. & acc., Goth. izwis; of uncertain origin. [root]189. Cf. Your.] The pronoun of the second person, in the nominative, dative, and objective case, indicating the person or persons addressed. See the Note under Ye. Ye go to Canterbury; God you speed. --Chaucer. Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you To leave this place. --Shak. In vain you tell your parting lover You wish fair winds may waft him over. --Prior. Note: Though you is properly a plural, it is in all ordinary discourse used also in addressing a single person, yet properly always with a plural verb. ``Are you he that hangs the verses on the trees, wherein Rosalind is so admired ?'' --Shak. You and your are sometimes used indefinitely, like we, they, one, to express persons not specified. ``The looks at a distance like a new-plowed land; but as you come near it, you see nothing but a long heap of heavy, disjointed clods.'' --Addison. ``Your medalist and critic are much nearer related than the world imagine.'' --Addison. ``It is always pleasant to be forced to do what you wish to do, but what, until pressed, you dare not attempt.'' --Hook. You is often used reflexively for yourself of yourselves. ``Your highness shall repose you at the tower.'' --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

You You ([=u]), pron. [Possess. Your ([=u]r) or Yours ([=u]rz); dat. & obj. You.] [OE. you, eou, eow, dat. & acc., AS. e['o]w, used as dat. & acc. of ge, g[=e], ye; akin to OFries. iu, io, D. u, G. euch, OHG. iu, dat., iuwih, acc., Icel. y[eth]r, dat. & acc., Goth. izwis; of uncertain origin. [root]189. Cf. Your.] The pronoun of the second person, in the nominative, dative, and objective case, indicating the person or persons addressed. See the Note under Ye. Ye go to Canterbury; God you speed. --Chaucer. Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you To leave this place. --Shak. In vain you tell your parting lover You wish fair winds may waft him over. --Prior. Note: Though you is properly a plural, it is in all ordinary discourse used also in addressing a single person, yet properly always with a plural verb. ``Are you he that hangs the verses on the trees, wherein Rosalind is so admired ?'' --Shak. You and your are sometimes used indefinitely, like we, they, one, to express persons not specified. ``The looks at a distance like a new-plowed land; but as you come near it, you see nothing but a long heap of heavy, disjointed clods.'' --Addison. ``Your medalist and critic are much nearer related than the world imagine.'' --Addison. ``It is always pleasant to be forced to do what you wish to do, but what, until pressed, you dare not attempt.'' --Hook. You is often used reflexively for yourself of yourselves. ``Your highness shall repose you at the tower.'' --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Thou Thou, pron. [Sing.: nom. Thou; poss. Thyor Thine; obj. Thee. Pl.: nom. You; poss. Youror Yours; obj. You.] [OE. thou, [thorn]u, AS. [eth][=u], [eth]u; akin to OS. & OFries. thu, G., Dan. & Sw. du, Icel. [thorn][=u], Goth. [thorn]u, Russ. tui, Ir. & Gael. tu, W. ti, L. tu, Gr. sy`, Dor. ty`, Skr. tvam. [root]185. Cf. Thee, Thine, Te Deum.] The second personal pronoun, in the singular number, denoting the person addressed; thyself; the pronoun which is used in addressing persons in the solemn or poetical style. Art thou he that should come? --Matt. xi. 3. Note: ``In Old English, generally, thou is the language of a lord to a servant, of an equal to an equal, and expresses also companionship, love, permission, defiance, scorn, threatening: whilst ye is the language of a servant to a lord, and of compliment, and further expresses honor, submission, or entreaty.'' --Skeat. Note: Thou is now sometimes used by the Friends, or Quakers, in familiar discourse, though most of them corruptly say thee instead of thou.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Thou Thou, pron. [Sing.: nom. Thou; poss. Thyor Thine; obj. Thee. Pl.: nom. You; poss. Youror Yours; obj. You.] [OE. thou, [thorn]u, AS. [eth][=u], [eth]u; akin to OS. & OFries. thu, G., Dan. & Sw. du, Icel. [thorn][=u], Goth. [thorn]u, Russ. tui, Ir. & Gael. tu, W. ti, L. tu, Gr. sy`, Dor. ty`, Skr. tvam. [root]185. Cf. Thee, Thine, Te Deum.] The second personal pronoun, in the singular number, denoting the person addressed; thyself; the pronoun which is used in addressing persons in the solemn or poetical style. Art thou he that should come? --Matt. xi. 3. Note: ``In Old English, generally, thou is the language of a lord to a servant, of an equal to an equal, and expresses also companionship, love, permission, defiance, scorn, threatening: whilst ye is the language of a servant to a lord, and of compliment, and further expresses honor, submission, or entreaty.'' --Skeat. Note: Thou is now sometimes used by the Friends, or Quakers, in familiar discourse, though most of them corruptly say thee instead of thou.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. Note: 'You' is the second person pronoun. 'You' can refer to one or more people and is used as the subject of a verb or the object of a verb or preposition. 1. A speaker or writer uses you to refer to the person or people that they are talking or writing to. It is possible to use you before a noun to make it clear which group of people you are talking to. When I saw you across the room I knew I'd met you before... You two seem very different to me... I could always talk to you about anything in the world... What is alternative health care? What can it do for you?... What you kids need is more exercise. PRON 2. In spoken English and informal written English, you is sometimes used to refer to people in general. Getting good results gives you confidence... In those days you did what you were told. PRON

Moby Thesaurus

I, I myself, alter, alter ego, alterum, better self, ego, ethical self, he, her, herself, him, himself, inner man, inner self, it, me, my humble self, myself, number one, oneself, other self, ourselves, self, she, subconscious self, subliminal self, superego, them, themselves, they, yours truly, yourself, yourselves