- objective of thou.
you
Americanpronoun
-
you,
plural
-
your,
possessive
-
yours
possessive
-
the pronoun of the second person singular or plural, used of the person or persons being addressed, in the nominative or objective case.
You are the highest bidder. It is you who are to blame. We can't help you. This package came for you. Did she give you the book?
-
one; anyone; people in general.
a tiny animal you can't even see.
-
(used in apposition with the subject of a sentence, sometimes repeated for emphasis following the subject).
You children pay attention. You rascal, you!
-
Informal. (used in place of the pronoun your before a gerund).
There's no sense in you getting upset.
-
Archaic.
-
yourself; yourselves.
Get you home. Make you ready.
-
a plural form of the pronoun ye.
-
noun
-
yous
plural
-
something or someone closely identified with or resembling the person addressed.
Don't buy the bright red shirt—it just isn't you. It was like seeing another you.
-
the nature or character of the person addressed.
Try to discover the hidden you.
pronoun
-
refers to the person addressed or to more than one person including the person or persons addressed but not including the speaker
you know better
the culprit is among you
-
Also: one. refers to an unspecified person or people in general
you can't tell the boys from the girls
-
a dialect word for yourself or yourselves See yourself
you should get you a wife now
noun
-
informal the personality of the person being addressed or something that expresses it
that hat isn't really you
-
a thing or person that the speaker cannot or does not want to specify
Usage
In American English the pronoun you has been supplemented by additional forms to make clear the distinction between singular and plural. You-all is a widespread spoken form in the South Midland and Southern United States. A closely related monosyllabic form is written y'all and is used both in and outside of the South Midland and Southern United States, evoking a familiar and informal tone rather than indicating a regional identity. The possessive forms for these are often you-all's and y'all's, respectively, rather than your. You-uns (from you + ones ) is a South Midland form most often found in nonstandard speech; it is being replaced by you-all or y'all. Youse ( you + the plural -s ending of nouns), probably of Irish-American origin, is most common in the North, especially in urban centers like Boston, New York, and Chicago. It is rare in educated speech. You guys is a common informal expression used for plural you. It does not have a strong regional or dialectal association, but its usage is in flux among some populations of speakers. People who adopted plural you guys in the 1980s and 90s may use it as a gender-neutral plural, referring to any group without regard to sex or even a group of women only. Younger speakers and politically progressive speakers are more likely to perceive you guys as gendered and problematically noninclusive of trans and nonbinary people, and as such tend to avoid its use. See also me.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of you
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English ēow (dative, accusative of gē ye 1 ); cognate with Old Frisian ju, Old Saxon iu, Dutch u, Old High German iu, eu
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A consistent daily routine may do more for your health than you realize.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
If your intent is to give to charity from your IRA again this year and those gifts will satisfy part of your RMD, you are making a tax-smart move.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2026
It’s a critique, if you want, or a doubt about the exaggerations of this.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
Most public charities qualify but if you are unsure, the IRS provides a search tool.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2026
“Don’t you want me to be tough? Become a man?”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
When comedian and actress Amy Poehler of Good Hang with Amy Poehler won the prize, she fangirled over the rapper and excitedly delivered her thank yous.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026
The black-clad, 23-year-old singer-songwriter barely spoke to the audience, uttering only a couple of thank yous during one of two solo performances at the venue this past weekend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025
The yous who live lives of expansiveness and inclusion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2025
They kissed and exchanged I love yous; Joe shuffled to the door.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
There’s always a footnote to her I love yous.
From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly
A consistent daily routine may do more for your health than you realize.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2026
There’s another limit if your income is high enough that you are in the top federal tax bracket of 37%.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2026
As for when we’ll next get to see him in uniform, don’t hold your breath.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
Further, by donating from the IRA, unless you are leaving the IRA to charity, you are donating pre-tax funds that would otherwise be taxed at some point to either you or your beneficiary.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2026
“Hey, my cell died. Can I use your phone to call my dad and have him pick me up?”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Anna Sale: On The Survivor Files, you talk to survivors whose stories have a lot in common with yours, and ones who experienced totally different crimes.
From Slate ● Nov. 8, 2026
Q. Who lives in the house on the right side of yours?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
Their spice cabinet becomes yours; their stove, your stove; their neighborhood grocery store, your little errand.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
Did you look at anyone else’s residency when you were putting yours together?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
“Those students of yours are extraordinary. Hats off on a job well done. How do you like my POE?”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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