Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb It is so; as you say or ask. Used to express affirmation, agreement, positive confirmation, or consent.
  • noun An affirmative or consenting reply.
  • noun An affirmative vote or voter.
  • transitive verb To give an affirmative reply to.
  • interjection Used to express great satisfaction, approval, or happiness.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • A word which expresses affirmation or consent: opposed to no. It is also used, like yea, to enforce by repetition or addition something which precedes.
  • [For distinction between yes and yea, no and nay, see yea.]

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb Ay; yea; -- a word which expresses affirmation or consent; -- opposed to no.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • preposition A word used to show agreement or acceptance.
  • preposition A word used to indicate disagreement or dissent in reply to a negative statement.
  • interjection Used to express pleasure, joy, or great excitement.
  • noun An affirmative expression; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.
  • noun A vote of support or in favor/favour of something.
  • verb colloquial, transitive To agree with, to affirm, to approve.
  • verb slang To attempt to flatter someone by habitually agreeing.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an affirmative

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English gēse, so be it! : probably gēa, so; see i- in Indo-European roots + sīe, may it be so; see es- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English yes, yis, from Old English ġēse, ġīse, ġȳse, *ġīese (“yes, of course, so be it”), equivalent to ġēa ("yes", "so") + sī(e) ("may it be"). Compare yea.

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Examples

  • Hi Ray,,Eric and I were just discussing EBooks the other day and although the technology is very exciting, there is something about a book, especially one that smells,,yes, yes, Eric and I smell our books.

    Are Ebooks Dead? at Ray Fowler .org 2010

  • "_No_," if as to Taprobane in connexion with Ceylon we say both "_Yes_" and "_No_," -- not the less we come back with a reiterated "_Yes, yes, yes_," upon Ceylon as the crest and eagle's plume of the Indies, as the priceless pearl, the ruby without a flaw, and (once again we say it) as the Pandora of oriental islands.

    Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 54, No. 337, November, 1843 Various

  • Salvation Army, I needn't be a martyr any longer, but should be saved at once, I would have screamed "Yes -- yes -- _yes_!"

    The Chauffeur and the Chaperon Karl Anderson 1901

  • Of course I said yes -- _yes_, it would be entirely proper and perfectly splendid, though they might have forgotten to put anything of the sort into books of etiquette.

    Secret History Revealed By Lady Peggy O'Malley 1901

  • "Yes, yes, _yes_!" came the response from two score eager voices.

    The Torch Bearer A Camp Fire Girls' Story 1883

  • Why, yes -- uneasily one answers, _yes_; but still the case records

    Theological Essays and Other Papers — Volume 1 Thomas De Quincey 1822

  • So anyway, Brooklyn was really nice, once I get back to s’pore im going to see if I can dload those pieces… oh yes, and the musical was performed by just 5 pple… yes…

    yanxious Diary Entry yanxious 2004

  • "'Rolf,' I said, 'if you could say yes and no, you would be able to talk to us; now, look here! when you want to say _yes_, give us your paw _twice_, and if _no_, then give it _three_ times,' and I at once put this suggestion to an easy test, for I asked him if he would like to be spanked -- and he returned a decided _no_!

    Lola or, The Thought and Speech of Animals Henny Kindermann

  • Incredibly, you can utter the word yes virtually anywhere—from Timbuktu to a multinational space station orbiting beyond the stratosphere—and be understood.

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • Incredibly, you can utter the word yes virtually anywhere—from Timbuktu to a multinational space station orbiting beyond the stratosphere—and be understood.

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

Comments

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  • Submission, happiness, resignation, acquiescence, discovery...

    December 19, 2007

  • "God says yes to me".

    May 22, 2008

  • There's something about the word 'Yes' It just works wonders. When you speak to customers use it a lot. It's equally important to avoid the word 'no.'

    '15 words that will make you money'

    July 23, 2009