1601
yeoman of the guard
ye¹ /jiː/ pron old use (used especially when addressing more than one person, usually only as the subject of a sentence) you
ye² determiner (a word used especially in the names of PUBS and shops, in order to make them seem old and historical) the: Ye Olde Dog and Duck (pub sign)
yea¹ /jeɪ/ adv old use yes → opposite NAY; see also AYE
yea² n a vote or voter in favour of an idea, plan, law etc → opposite NAY; see also AYE
yeah /jeə/ adv infml yes
year /jɪər, jɜː||jɪr/ n 1 a measure of time equal to about 365¼ days, which is the amount of time it takes for the Earth to travel completely round the Sun 2 also calendar year — a period of 365 or 366 days divided into 12 months beginning on January 1st and ending on December 31st: last year's budget | early/late in the year | It's been a good year for films. (=There have been a lot of good films this year.) | The lease expires in the year 2010. 3 a period of 365 days measured from any point: She has worked here for about four years. | I arrived here two years ago today. | a three-year-old child | a ten-year business plan 4 a period of (about) a year in the life of an organization: The school year is broken up with many holidays. | second-year students (=in the second year of a course)
CULTURAL NOTE There are thirteen years of education in UK schools. Children start school in 'Year 1' when they are about 5 years old. Their first year in SECONDARY SCHOOL when they are about 11, is 'Year 7', and they usually take their GCSE examinations in 'Year 11'. Students who remain in school after this can stay until 'Year 13', when they take their A level examinations. → see Cultural Note at GRADE
5 all the year round during the whole year 6 year after year continuously for many years 7 year in year out regularly each year, without ever changing: They go to the same campsite year in year out. → see also YEARS, FINANCIAL YEAR, LEAP YEAR, LIGHT YEAR, NEW YEAR, SCHOOL YEAR
year·book /'jɪəbʊk, 'jɜː-||'jɪr-/ n a book printed once a year by a US high school or college about its students, sports events, clubs etc → see Feature on page A13
CULTURAL NOTE In the US, most students in HIGH SCHOOL buy a yearbook at the end of the school year. Yearbooks have pictures of every student in them, and pictures of sports teams, clubs, and different activities at the school. Friends sign their names in the yearbook, and close friends usually write long messages about the activities they did together over the year, and wish each other good luck in the future. Yearbooks are usually designed by a group of students, and sometimes SENIORS are allowed to design their own page or part of a page, in which they can have their photograph and special messages printed.
year 'dot n [the+S] BrE infml often derog a very long time ago: They've lived here since the year dot.
year·ling /'jɪəlɪŋ, 'jɜː-||'jɪr-/ n an animal, especially a young horse, between one and two years old
year·long /'jɪəlɒŋ, ,jɜː-||,jɪr'lːŋ/ adj [A] lasting for a year or all through the year: She came back after a yearlong absence.
year·ly /'jɪəli, 'jɜː-||'jɪrli/ adj, adv (happening, appearing etc) every year or once a year: a yearly pay award | a five-yearly medical examination (=once every five years)
yearn /jɜːn||jɜːrn/ v [I (for)] especially lit to have a strong, loving, or sad desire: He yearned for her return./for her to return. | [+to-v] They yearned to return home.
yearn·ing /'jɜːnɪŋ||'jɜːr-/ n [C;U(for/to-v)] especially lit (a) strong usually sad desire: a yearning for/to travel | an actor's yearning for recognition
years /jɪəz, jɜːz||jɪrz/ n [P] 1 fml or lit age, especially old age: He is very healthy for a man of his years. 2 infml a long time: I haven't seen her for years. | It happened years ago.
yeast /jiːst/ n [U] a form of very small plant life that is used for producing alcohol in beer and wine and for making bread rise → y adj: a yeasty taste
yeast 'extract n a food made from yeasts, which is used both to give taste and to supply many B VITAMINS
Yeats, W.B. /jeɪts/ (1865-1939) an Irish writer of poems and plays, whose early work is often based on old Irish stories. He is considered one of the most important Irish writers, and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.
yell /jel/ v [I;T(out, at)] to shout or say very loudly, especially in fear, anger, or excitement: Don't yell at me like that. | He yelled (out) orders at everyone. —yell n: The new-born baby let out a yell.
yel·low¹ /'jeləʊ/ adj 1 of a colour like that of butter, gold, or the YOLK (=middle part) of an egg 2 having the light brown skin of some east Asian people (may be considered offensive) 3 also 'yellow,-bellied —derog slang not brave; cowardly —yellow n [U]
CULTURAL NOTE The colour yellow is often used to represent a lack of courage.
yellow² v [I;T] to make or become yellow: The paper had yellowed with age.
yellow a'lert n [C;U] (a condition of readiness to deal with) a situation of great danger. It is less serious than RED ALERT.
yellow brick 'road, the a road which leads to a place where a person can find something good (from the story The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, in which Dorothy and her friends have to follow the yellow brick road to find the WIZARD who will help them)
yellow 'card n a yellow card held up by a football REFEREE to show that a player is to be booked (BOOK)
yellow 'fever n [U] a dangerous tropical disease in which the skin turns rather yellow
yellow 'jersey → see TOUR DE FRANCE
yellow 'line n (in Britain) a line of yellow paint at the edge of a street or road next to the PAVEMENT which shows that parking of vehicles is not allowed at certain times. A double yellow line means that there are more restrictions than a single yellow line.
Yellow 'Pages trademark a book that contains the telephone numbers and addresses of businesses, shops, and other organizations in a city or area, arranged according to the type of service they provide: Have you tried looking at Driving Instructors in Yellow Pages? → compare PHONE BOOK, WHITE PAGES
Yellow 'River, the a long river in northern China, known for the terrible floods which have caused many deaths and much damage, and the yellow SILT (=loose sand and soil) that it carries
Yellow 'Sea, the the sea between the east coast of China and Korea
yellow 'sticker n a small piece of sticky yellow paper, used for leaving notes to people or adding notes to a book, report etc, which can be easily removed → see also POST-IT
Yel·low·stone Na·tion·al Park, the /,jeləʊstəʊn ,næʃənəl 'pɑːk||-'pɑːrk/ a large national park mostly in Wyoming, in the northwestern US, known for its hot springs and GEYSERS (=natural springs of hot water that rise suddenly into the air), especially one called OLD FAITHFUL which many tourists come to see
yelp /jelp/ v [I] to make a short sharp high cry of pain, excitement etc: The dog yelped and ran off. —yelp n
Yelt·sin, Bor·is /'jeltsɪn, 'bɒrɪs||'bɔː-/ (1931-) a Russian politician who became President of Russia in 1991. Bad economic conditions and the growing crime problem in Russia made him unpopular with many, but he was elected President again in 1996. He has had very serious health problems, and is sometimes criticized for drinking too much alcohol.
Yem·en /'jemən/ a country in southwest Asia, south of Saudi Arabia, which was formed in 1990 when the separate countries of North Yemen and South Yemen united. Population: 19,349,881 (2003). Capital: Sana'a. —Yemeni n, adj
yen¹ /jen/ n pl. yen the standard unit of money in Japan
yen² n [S(for/to - v)] a strong desire: a yen for/to travel
yeo·man /'jəʊmən/ n pl. -men /mən/ BrE especially lit a farmer who owns and works his own land
yeoman of the 'guard n (in Britain) a member of a military unit who attend the Queen at certain ceremonies and act as keepers at the Tower of London. They are also called Beef eaters and they wear a special uniform, which often appears on SOUVENIRS of London.