yet

adv, conj, verb and 1 more — 12 senses

yet

adv

US, UK /jɛt/

Etymology Inherited from Middle English yet, yit, from Old English ġīet, gȳta, from Proto-West Germanic *jūta, from Proto-Germanic *juta (compare West Frisian jit, jitte (“yet”), Dutch ooit (“ever”), German jetzt (“now”)), compound of (1) *ju (“already”, adverb), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew-, accusative of *h₂óyu (“long time”) and (2) the Proto-Germanic *ta (“to, towards”), from Proto-Indo-European *do. More at aye and -th.

7 senses
  1. 1In negative or interrogative use, often with an…
  2. 2In negative imperative use, asking for an action to be delayed.
  3. 3In affirmative use: still.
  4. 4At some future time; eventually.
  5. 5Not as of the time referenced.
  6. 6In addition.
  7. 7Even.

› Thus far; up to the present; up to some…

1

In negative or interrogative use, often with an expectation or potential of something happening in the future.

  • I haven't finished yet.
  • Have you finished yet?
3 more examples
  • We do not yet know what happened.
  • He has never yet been late for an appointment.
  • I don't know if I can tell you yet.
2

In negative imperative use, asking for an action to be delayed.

  • Don't switch it on yet – wait until I've reconnected the pump.
3

Archaic, Poetic In affirmative use: still.

  • He is yet breathing. (He is still breathing.)
  • O, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave […]? (US National Anthem)
1 more example
  • They atteſt facts vvhich they had heard vvhile they vvere yet heathens, and had they not found reaſon to believe them, they vvould ſtill have continued heathens, and have made no mention of them in their vvritings.a. 1720 (date written), Joseph Addison, “Section III. The Providence of God.”, in The Evidences of the Christian Religion, […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], published 1730, →OCLC, subsection V, page 23:
4

At some future time; eventually.

  • The riddle will be solved yet.
  • He'll be hanged yet.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
5

With infinitive Not as of the time referenced.

After 'have' and certain copulative verbs

  • I’ve yet to see him. — I have not yet seen him.
  • I had yet to go to a convention. — I had not yet gone to a convention.
2 more examples
  • They are yet to win a single match. — They have not yet won a single match.
  • He seemed yet to be convinced. — He seemed not yet to have been convinced.
6

In addition.

  • There are two hours yet to go until our destination.
  • It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
1 more example
  • After yet another missed penalty by Kvirikashvili from bang in front of the posts, England scored again, centre Tuilagi flying into the line and touching down under the bar.2011 September 18, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia”, in BBC Sport:
7

Even.

  • K-2 is yet higher than this.
  • Oh no! Yet more problems!
1 more example
  • Men may not too rashly believe the confessions of witches, nor yet the evidence against them.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
Synonyms
even now, still, erenow, so far, to date, formerly, at last, in time, sooner or later, subsequently, besides, further, moreover
Derived terms
are we there yet, as of yet, as yet, as yet unknown, as-yet-unknown, just yet, not yet, power of yet, some time yet, there's life in the old dog yet, you ain't seen nothing yet

yet

conj

Etymology Inherited from Middle English yet, yit, from Old English ġīet, gȳta, from Proto-West Germanic *jūta, from Proto-Germanic *juta (compare West Frisian jit, jitte (“yet”), Dutch ooit (“ever”), German jetzt (“now”)), compound of (1) *ju (“already”, adverb), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew-, accusative of *h₂óyu (“long time”) and (2) the Proto-Germanic *ta (“to, towards”), from Proto-Indo-European *do. More at aye and -th.

1

Nevertheless; however; but; despite that.

  • I thought I knew you, yet how wrong was I!
  • It’s incredible yet true.
4 more examples
  • Nor Court nor Citie had ſhe ſeene, yeat eithers prayſe ſhe had: / So much more vvorth by hovve much leſſe ſhe vvas vn-nicely clad.1602, William Warner, “The Seventh Booke. Chapter XXXVI.”, in Albions England. A Continued Historie of the Same Kingdome, from the Originals of the First Inhabitants thereof: […], 5th edition, London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant for George Potter, […], →OCLC, page 173:
  • Emaciated little creatures, with skin harsh and rough, rapid pulse, nerves ever on the strain—have yet a look of lively intelligence.1907, Margaret McMillan, Labour and Childhood, page 10:
  • Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations. It is easily earned repetition to state that Josephine St. Auban's was a presence not to be concealed.1910, Emerson Hough, chapter II, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
  • Thus the red damask curtains which now shut out the fog-laden, drizzling atmosphere of the Marylebone Road, had cost a mere song, and yet they might have been warranted to last another thirty years. A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor;[…].1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter I, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0016:
Synonyms
be that as it may, even so, withal
Derived terms
as yet

yet

verb

Etymology Inherited from Middle English yeten, from Old English ġēotan (“to flow, pour”), from Proto-West Germanic *geutan, from Proto-Germanic *geutaną (“to flow, pour”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰewd- (“to pour”). Cognate with Scots yat (“to pour, yet”), West Frisian jitte (“to scatter, shed, pour”), Dutch gieten (“to pour, cast, mould”), German gießen (“to pour, cast, mould”), Swedish gjuta (“to pour, cast”). Doublet of yote.

1

Obsolete To pour.

  • […] & stablenes of perseueraunce; graunt me for all wor[l]dly consolacyons the swete, gracyous vnccyon of the holy goost, & for all carnall loue1502, William Atkynson (translator), De Imitatione Christi, in 1893, John Kells Ingram, The Earliest English Translation of the First Three Books of the De Imitatione Christi, page 221
  • Some with a fals herte, and a payntyd face In his lordes seruyce to haue chefe rowme and place Into his lordes erys yetyth secretly Lyes venemous, […]1509 (edition published 1874), Alexander Barclay (translator), The Ship of Fools (originally by Sebastian Brant), page 211
2

Dialectal, Obsolete To melt; found; cast (e.g. metal, by pouring it into a mould when molten).

  • […] whiche shall present him selfe openly stained or embrued with sondry colours, or poudered with the duste of stones that he cutteth, or perfumed with tedious sauours of the metalles by him yoten.1531 (edition reprinted 1880), Thomas Elyot, The Boke named the Gouernour, page 48

yet

noun

Etymology Inherited from Middle English yeten, from Old English ġēotan (“to flow, pour”), from Proto-West Germanic *geutan, from Proto-Germanic *geutaną (“to flow, pour”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰewd- (“to pour”). Cognate with Scots yat (“to pour, yet”), West Frisian jitte (“to scatter, shed, pour”), Dutch gieten (“to pour, cast, mould”), German gießen (“to pour, cast, mould”), Swedish gjuta (“to pour, cast”). Doublet of yote.

1

Dialectal A metal pan or boiler; yetling.

yet

verb

Etymology Inherited from Middle English yeten, ȝeten, from Old English ġietan, from Proto-Germanic *getaną, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed-. More at get.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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