The Collaborative Dictionary

thou \thou\ ([th]ou), pron. [Sing.: nom. Thou; poss. Thy ([th][imac]) or Thine ([th][imac]n); obj. Thee ([th][=e]). Pl.: nom. You (y[=oo]); poss. Your (y[=oo]r) or Yours (y[=oo]rz); 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. [1913 Webster] Art thou he that should come? --Matt. xi.

[1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] Note: Thou is now sometimes used by the Friends, or Quakers, in familiar discourse, though most of them corruptly say thee instead of thou. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster] Ye go to Canterbury; God you speed. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you To leave this place. --Shak. [1913 Webster] In vain you tell your parting lover You wish fair winds may waft him over. --Prior. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster]

Yours \Yours\ (["u]rz), pron. See the Note under Your. [1913 Webster]

English

Etymology

From your + ’s.

Pronunciation

• RP: jɔːz
• US: , /jɔːɹz/, /jO:rz/

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)z, -ʊə(ɹ)z

Homophones

• yaws (non-rhotic accents)

Pronoun

yours

1. That which belongs to you; the possessive second person pronoun used without a following noun.

   If this edit is mine, the other must be yours.

   Their encyclopedia is good, but yours is even better.

   It’s all yours.

2. Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully, Yours, Sincerely yours.

Usage notes

• In British English the adverb almost invariably follows the word yours at the end of a letter; in American English it usually precedes it. As a general rule, sincerely is only employed if the name of the recipient is already known to the writer; a letter begun with Dear Sir or Dear Madam finishes with faithfully. Yours on its own and yours ever are less formal than the other forms.

Translations