Forms: α. 1 ʓese, 3–4 ȝes, 4–5 ȝeis, (5 yhes, ȝeysse, yesse, 9 dial. ees), 5– yes. β. 1 ʓise, 2–4 ȝise, (4 yijs), 4–5 ȝhis, ȝys, 4–6 ȝis, 4–6 (9 dial.) yis, (5 yhis, yys, ȝisse, 6 yisse, 6–7 is, 9 dial. iss). γ. 1 ʓyse, 3 ȝuse, 4 ȝhus, yus, 4–5 ȝus, (5 ȝeus). [An affirmative word confined to English: OE. ʓése, ʓíse, ʓýse, the forms of which point to early WS. *ʓíese :— *ʓéasī, prob. f. ʓéa YEA + sī 3 sing. pres. subj. of bēon to be; a similar formation is seen in nese (Northumb. næse, næsi), prob. f. ne NE adv. + sī (as above).
The acceptance of this derivation necessitates the assumption that ʓése was orig. applicable as an answer to a particular class of question, which is intrinsically not improbable. The suggested derivation from *ʓéa swā ‘yea, so’ is phonologically inadequate.
The pronunciation (yis), still widespread in dialects, was formerly current in polite speech and is recorded as such in Walker’s Pronouncing Dict.]
A word used to express an affirmative reply to a question, statement, command, etc.
1. In answer to a question not involving a negative; standing for the affirmative sentence corresponding to the interrogative one constituting the question: = ‘It is so.’ Phr. To say yes: to assent, comply; spec. to accept a proposal of marriage.
Formerly usually more emphatic than yea or ay; in later use taking the place of these as the ordinary affirmative particle: cf. 2 below.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., I. 14. Hwi! wolde God swa lytles þinges him forwyrnan…? Ʒyse; hu mihte Adam tocnawan [etc.].
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 31. Hwat seist þu, Dauið? Hafst þu aniȝe sikernesse herof?… ‘Ȝise,’ [he] seið, ‘we bieð all siker of godes behate.’
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IV. 470 (MS. E.). The kyng … sperit … Giff ony man couth tell tithand Of any strange man in that land. ‘Ȝhis [v.r. ȝai],’ said a voman, ‘schir, perfay, Of strange men I can ȝow say.’
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 341. Þanne þe kyng com, and þe pope axede of hym ȝif he hadde i-holde his oth…. Þe kyng … seide ‘Ȝis al at þe fulle.’ Ibid., VIII. 313. Of þis erle … is ofte greet stryf…, wheþer he schulde be acounted for [v.r. among] seyntes oþer none. Some seyn ȝis…. Oþer seien þe contrarie.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 539/1. Ȝys, ita, eciam.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXXIV. ix. Haue you hym sene in any time before? Yes yes quod she.
1583. Hollyband, Campo di Fior, 227. Hast thou found thy Tusculans questions? Is, so evill favoured that I knew them not.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. iii. 25. Duk. Loue you the man that wrong’d you? Iul. Yes, as I loue the woman that wrong’d him.
1634. Milton, Comus, 584. 2. Bro. … Is this the confidence You gave me Brother? Eld. Bro. Yes, and keep it still.
1747. H. Walpole, Lett. to Mann, 28 July. Bergen-op-zoom still holds out, and is the first place that has not said yes, the moment the French asked it the question.
1808. Scott, Marm., I. Introd. 45. Will spring return,… And blossoms clothe the hawthorn spray? Yes, prattlers, yes; the daisy’s flower Again shall paint your summer bower.
1866. Mrs. Lynn Linton, Lizzie Lorton, xvi. ‘Is it a nice clean place?’ asked Aunt Harriet…. ‘Yis! yis! clean eneugh!’ said Isaac.
1883. D. C. Murray, Hearts, xiv. (1885), 111. She’d never say ‘Yes’ to a man she didn’t care for.
1917. G. W. E. Russell, Pol. & Pers., IV. x. 364. Is it wise to be prepared for this evil? Until the dream of a universal … disarmament is realized, surely yes.
b. Yes and No: a round game (see quots.).
1843. Dickens, Chr. Carol, iii. It was a Game called Yes and No, where Scrooge’s nephew had to think of something, and the rest must find out what; he only answering to their questions yes or no, as the case was.
1854. Round Games (ed. 2), 111. Yes and No. This game … was formerly called Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral. A player was sent out of the room, and a word (or rather thing) thought of. The player was called in, and proceeded to ask certain members of the company to which of the three kingdoms—animal, vegetable, or mineral—the object in question belonged…. He then proceeded to ask other questions, to which the players were only compelled to answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
2. a. In answer to a question involving a negative.
Formerly regularly used thus (and as in b) in distinction from yea (see YEA 1); the distinction became obsolete soon after 1600, and since then yes has been the ordinary affirmative particle in reply to any question positive or negative, and yea has become archaic. The distinction was still observed in the Bible of 1611, in which yes occurs four times (all in N.T.), always after a negative question or statement; the Revisers of 1881, apparently in ignorance of the usage, have altered it in all these instances to yea.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xvi. § 4. Wenst ðu þæt se godcunda anweald ne mihte afyrran þone anweald þam unrihtwisan kasere,… ʓif he wolde? Ʒise, la, ʓese; ic wat þæt he mihte, ʓif he wolde. Ibid., xxxiv. § 6. Ða cwæð he: Ne sæde ic þe ær þæt sio ʓesælð good wære? Ʒyse, cwæð ic, ʓe þu þæt sædest þæt hio þæt hehste good wære.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xvii. 25. Eower lareow, ne ʓylt he gafol? Þa cwæð he: Ʒyse, he deð.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 392. Ne muhte he mid lesse gref habben ared us? Ȝe siker [MS. T. ȝuse I wis, MS. C. ȝes I wis].
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5208 (Cott.). ‘How sua, es þar na noþer king?’ ‘Yus [Gött. Ȝes], bot he dus nakins thing.’
c. 1315. Shoreham, Poems, VII. 499. Nys þys god laȝe? Ȝes, y-wys, god laȝe hys.
13[?]. Cursor M., 2761 (Gött.). ‘Ne sal þai all þar-fore liue?’ ‘Yis,’ said vr lauerd.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IX. 84. Trow ȝe nocht than that thai Sall vencust in thair hertis be? Ȝhus, sall thai.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. xx. 66. Myn hertes greef, mote I not wepe? O yis.
c. 1450. Merlin, iii. 54. ‘Haue ye no mynde of the sarazins…?’ And thei seide, ‘Yesse, full wele.’
c. 1450. Cov. Myst., xxx. (Shaks. Soc.), 296. Thynk ȝe not he is worthy to dey? Et clamabant omnes. ‘ȝys! ȝys! ȝys! alle we seye he is worthy to dey, ȝa! ȝa! ȝa!’
1533. More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 997/1. Wold not the iudges trow you geue them ye hearing; yes yes I dout not.
1545. Joye, Exp. Dan. iii. 38 b. Did we not cast thre men bownde into the fyer? which answerd, yisse trwly oh kynge.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., II. i. 128. Val. What meanes your Ladiship? Doe you not like it? Sil. Yes, yes.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VI. 255. Was not the hand of the Almighty … able also, to drowne their … plaines with water? Yes and doubtlesse yes.
1646. Vaughan, Juv. Sat. x. 485. But thy spruce boy must touch no other face Then a Patrician? Is of any race So they be rich.
1779. Johnson, in Boswell (1904), II. 308. B. ‘Is not the Giant’s Causeway worth seeing?’—J. ‘Worth seeing, yes; but not worth going to see.’
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., III. xvi. ‘You never can have walked, my dear?’ ‘Yes, I have.’
1880. ‘Mark Twain,’ Tramp Abr., xxvii. ‘I like to be always making acquaintances, don’t you?’ ‘Lord, yes!’
b. In contradiction of or opposition to a negative statement expressed or implied, or a negative command or request.
Now usually accompanied by a short asseverative phrase echoing the preceding statement; e.g., in quot. 1611, mod. colloq. usage would require Yes, it was.
c. 1205. Lay., 17208. Þa andswarede þe king: Mærlin þu sæist sællic þing Þe nauere nan iboren mon Ne maie heom bringgen þenne…. Hu mihte ich heom þenne Heom bringen þeonne? Þa andswerede Mærlin Pan kinge … Ȝuse, ȝuse lauerd king.
13[?]. Cursor M., 1249 (Gött.). ‘Sun,’ he said, ‘þe bus ga To paradis þat I cam fra….’ ‘Ȝa, sir, wist i queþirward.’… ‘Ȝeis,’ he said, ‘i sal þe tell and say, Hugat þu sal ta þi right way.’
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1567. ‘Ȝe, wist y þat,’ seide william ‘witterly to speke, Of alle harmes were ich hol.’… ‘Ȝis, be marie,’ seide meliors ‘misdrede ȝow neuer.’
c. 1375. Cursor M., 5066 (Fairf.). We ar noȝt of a kithe saide he, Ȝus þat salle I shew to þe.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4659. Knowest hym ought? Lamaunt. Yhe, dame, parde. Raisonn. Nay, nay. Lamaunt. Yhis, I.
c. 1420. [see YEA 4].
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 252. Then … þe Iewe … sayde hit was not soo. ‘Ȝeus’ quod þe cristyn man.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. xx. 66. How sholdest thou knowe it, for thow arte not so old of yeres to knowe my fader, yes sayd Merlyn I knowe it better than ye or ony man lyuynge.
1552. Lyndesay, Monarche, 5952. We neuer saw thyne excellence Subdewit to sic Indigence. Ȝis, sall he [sc. Christ] say,… Quhen euer ȝe did ressaue the pure.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. ii. 49. Isab. Must he needs die? Ang. Maiden, no remedie. Isab. Yes: I doe thinke that you might pardon him. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., I. iv. 52. Post. … My Quarrell was not altogether slight. French. Faith yes, to be put to the arbiterment of Swords.
1779. Johnson, in Boswell (1904), II. 304. Boswell. ‘You did not know what you were undertaking.’ Johnson. ‘Yes, Sir, I knew very well what I was undertaking.’
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., II. xv. ‘But it’s not in the way, Charley.’ ‘Yes, it is,’ said the boy, petulantly.
1880. ‘Mark Twain,’ Tramp Abr., xxvii. ‘I do not know he ever preached there.’ ‘Oh, yes, he did.’
3. a. Expressing assent to a command, request, proposal, or summons.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4341. ‘Lauedi,’ he said, ‘com to þi mete.’ ‘Yus,’ sco said. Ibid., 7363. ‘Þat childs nam yee will me scau.’ ‘Yijs,’ he said, ‘i sal þe ken To knau him a-mang oþer men.’
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 436. He bede hem pens mo … Ȝif þai wald wiþ him go…. ‘Ȝis’ þai sworen þo.
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 753. I telle hyt the vp a condicion That thou shalt hooly … Doo thyn entent to herkene hitte. Yis syr.
c. 1425. Cast. Persev., 440, in Macro Plays, 90. Now go we forth … & bere þee manly euere a-mong … Humanum genus. Ȝys, & ellys haue þou my necke.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, II. xv. 93. Hast thow slayn my broder, thow shalt dye therfor or thou departe, wel said balen do it your self, yis sayde kyng pellam, ther shall no man haue ado with the, but my self.
1728. De Foe, Street Robb. Consid., 15. Prithee call him, Child, said he, to me,… Yes, Sir, said I.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., iv. ‘Joe!’ ‘Yes, sir.’
1859. Ruskin, Two Paths, iii. § 82. Nay, but you will take Christian ornament—purest mediæval Christian—thirteenth century! Yes: and do you suppose you will find the Christian less human?
1898. G. B. Shaw, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, I. The Clergyman [calling]. Frank! Frank.… Yes, gov’nor: all right: presently.
b. Expressing assent to a statement or implication.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2079. ‘Be his kniȝtis as kene as me þis cornes shewis, All þe werd war to waike his wrothe to with-stand.’… ‘Ȝis, he ledis bot a lite, lord, with ȝoure lefe … Bot mare fersere in feld fell neuire of modire.’
1633. Marmion, Fine Comp., IV. vi. Spr. I heare she is runne mad. Aur. Is.
1723. C. Walker, Mem. Sally Salisb., 26. She would bring out a Word something like Abdication, in this manner, Yes, yes, Abdillication was of great use to you, &c.
1732. Pope, Ep. Cobham, 1. Yes, you despise the man to books confin’d, Who from his study rails at human kind.
1818. Shelley, Rosal. & Helen, 77. Henry. This is not the way, Mamma; it leads behind those trees that grow Close to the little river. Helen. Yes: I know: I was bewildered.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xiv. ‘They must have been very nice men, both of ’em.’… ‘Yes, they were,… very nice men indeed!’
1898. ‘Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, vii. 74. The exquisite sense of humour had also slightly evaporated. People said, ‘Oh yes, very funny,’ than which nothing is more fatal to humour. Ibid., viii. 82. ‘But we were talking of Mr. Cornish.’ ‘Yes,’ answered Dorothy…. ‘Yes; but I must not talk any longer or I shall be late.’
c. Expressing concessive assent (sometimes sarcastically), and introducing an objection: often repeated in sign of impatience.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 34. Iew. … May I speake with Anthonio? Bass. If it please you to dine with vs. Iew. Yes, to smell porke.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxii. ‘Miss Ophelia has taught Topsy to read,’ continued Eva. ‘Yes, and you see how much good it does.’
1865. ‘L. Carroll,’ Alice’s Adv. in Wonderland, vii. ‘It was the best butter.’… ‘Yes, but some crumbs must have got in as well.’
1880. ‘Mark Twain,’ Tramp Abr., xxv. One morning I said:—‘There is an American party.’ Harris said,—‘Yes, but name the State.’
d. (Usually interrogative.) Expressing provisional assent, with desire for further information or statement; hence as an inquiry addressed to a person waiting in silence (= ‘what is it?’ ‘what do you want?’); also as a mere expression of interest (= ‘indeed?’ ‘is it so?’).
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes, iv. If you are an Englishman, he expects that that railroad is pretty much like an English railroad. If you say ‘No,’ he says ‘Yes?’ (interrogatively) and asks in what respect they differ. You enumerate the heads of difference one by one, and he says ‘Yes?’ (still interrogatively) to each.
1858. O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t., i. My landlady’s daughter…. Tender-eyed blonde. Long ringlets…. Says ‘Yes?’ when you tell her anything. Ibid. ‘I was only giving some hints on the fine arts.’ ‘Yes?’
1898. Punch, 16 April, 173/1. After a few moments I was joined by a gentleman…. ‘Yes?’ he said, in a tone of interrogation.
4. Used to emphasize or strengthen the speaker’s own preceding statement: = YEA 3.
In first quot. perh. used as an ordinary intensive adverb: = YEA 2.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., II. ii. 108. Surely I thinke you haue charmes, la: yes in truth. Ibid. (1613), Hen. VIII., I. ii. 176. I say, take heed; Yes, heartily beseech you.
1766. Goldsm., Vicar W., xxii. ‘Ah, Madam,’ cried her mother, ‘this is but a poor place you are come to after so much finery…. Yes, Miss Livy, your poor father and I have suffered very much of late.’
1810. Crabbe, Borough, xxii. 12. His father’s love he scorn’d,… But being drunk, wept sorely when he died. Yes! then he wept.
1827. Scott, Highl. Widow, iv. ‘The race of Dermid, whose children murdered—yes,’ she added, with a wild shriek, ‘murdered your mother’s fathers.’
1866. Meredith, Vittoria, iv. ‘He rendered payment for it,’ said Agostino. ‘He perished; yes! as we shake dust to the winds.’
1888. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Bootle’s Childr., ii. He was living a month ago, and drunk enough to knock me down. Yes, me … me with a babe of a month old.
† 5. In construction after a verb of thinking, etc., standing for a clause expressing affirmation or assent: = YEA 1 e. Obs.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, ix. 24. Then Huon … demandyd yf he myght ryde or not, ‘brother’ quod Gerarde ‘I thynke yes.’
1634. Caine, Necess. Separ., v. 218. His wordes import positively no, but we are sure yes.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr., III. xv. Thou shalt not disobey them. It were better for thee not. Better a hundred deaths than yes.
¶ O yes (formula introducing a crier’s announcement): see OYEZ.
B. as sb. (Pl. yes’s, yeses.) An utterance of the word ‘yes’; an affirmative reply, or expression of assent: often opposed to no.
[c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xlii. 308. Wene ȝe ðæt æȝðer sie nid me ȝe ȝise ȝe nese?]
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 266, ¶ 4. Her innocent forsooths, yes’s, and’t please you’s … moved the good old Lady to … hire her for her own Maid.
1775. Sheridan, in Sheridaniana (1826), 62. No pearly teeth rejoice my view, Unless a ‘yes’ displays their hue.
1805. Southey, Madoc, I. xvii. 29. Madoc smiling on the Maid,… lightly gave the yes.
1818. Keats, Endym., IV. 898. Striving their ghastly malady to cheer, By thinking it a thing of yes and no, That housewives talk of.
1840. Thackeray, Shabby Genteel Story, v. Dear yeses and noes, how beautiful you are when gently whispered by pretty lips!
1855. Tennyson, Maud, I. XVII. 9. Roses are her cheeks, And a rose her mouth When the happy Yes Falters from her lips.
1866. Meredith, Vittoria, ii. ‘Said yes!’ he remarked. ‘He might say no, for a diversion. He has yeses enough in his pay to earn a Cardinal’s hat.’
1879. ‘L. Hoffmann,’ Drawing-r. Amusem., ii. 41. The ‘Twenty Questions’…. He is limited to twenty questions, which, with one exception, must be of such a character as to be answered by a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
Hence Yes v. intr., to say ‘yes’; to assent: opp. to NO v. (see after NO adv.3 and sb.).
1820. Blackw. Mag., VIII. 271. Thy hat low dangling from thy better hand, Yes-ing and No-ing to the great man’s will.
1891. J. K. Stephen, Quo Musa Tendis! 56. I don’t know what we talked about; I smiled; the same old smile: I ‘yes’d’ and ‘no’d’ and ‘really’d,’ till I thought he must discover That I was listening to the band.
