You pers. pron., 2nd pers. obj. (nom.)

pl. (sing.). Forms: 1–3 eow, (1 ieow, iow, 2 ȝeau, heou, heow, how, ȝehw,) 2–3 eou, ȝeu, ȝew, 2–4 ou, hou, ȝu, 3 iou, æu, ew, heu, eo, oeu, howe, ȝeow, ȝuw, ov, 3–4 ow, owe, ȝiu, 3–5 eu, yu, (6 Sc.) ȝou, 4 iow, ȝue, ȝuu, ȝouȝ, yuu, youu, yhow, 4–5 ȝowe, ȝhow, ȝo, (6–7 Sc.) ȝow, 4–7 yow, 5 ȝoue, ȝewe, ȝhu, yowe, yoow, yw, yo, yewe, Sc. yhu, yhw, 5–6 youe, 6 iow, 7 yew, 4– you, (9 dial. & vulgar yah, yer, also YEZ). [OE. éow acc. and dat. (also éowic, Northumb. íuih, etc.) = OFris. iuwe, iwe, OS. iu, MDu., Du. u, OHG., MHG. iu, eu; deriving from earlier *īuw :— OTeut. *iwwiz. A parallel formation is represented by ON. yōr (MSw. iþer) for *iðwir, ? *iRwiR, Goth. iswis.

  Originally the accusative and dative plural of the second personal pronoun: see THOU for the declension of the 2nd pers. pron. in OE. and ME. Between 1300 and 1400 it began to be used also for the nominative YE, which it had replaced in general use by about 1600. During the 14th century it also appears as a substitute for the singular obj. THEE and nom. THOU, being originally used in token of respect in addressing a superior, but later also to an equal, and ultimately generally: cf. THOU 1. Thus you is now the general pronoun of the second person, nominative or objective, singular or plural.]

  I.  As plural, used in addressing a number of persons (or, rhetorically, of things).

  1.  Objective. a. as direct object of a verb.

a. 900.  Cynewulf, Elene, 551. Eow þeos cwen laþaþ, secgas, to salore.

1155.  in Anglia, VII. I. 220. God ȝeau ȝehealde.

a. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 233. Unwraste man wat lacede ȝeu?

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 13. Swa þet heo eow tintraȝed and heow i-swenchet.

c. 1205.  Lay., 4556. Æuere mare ich æu Ieouie. Ibid., 5455. Leou wer here ic eow [c. 1275 ȝou] abide.

c. 1250.  Kent. Serm., in O. E. Misc., 32. Wat dret yw, folk of litle beliaue?

1389.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 53. To certefyen ȝ^u of godes and chateux.

a. 1400.  Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903), 254. I come to leden ou swiþe.

c. 1420.  Sir Amadace (Camden), lviii. Butte, alle my men, I ȝo cummawunde, To serue him wele to fote and honde.

14[?].  Northern Passion, II. 173. In heuene ich wole ȝo cloþy & fede.

1450.  in Exch. Rolls Scot., V. 425, note. Oure will is and we charge yhw that [etc.].

1482.  Cov. Leet Bk., 504. Ryght trusty & wele-beloued, we grete yewe wele.

1567.  Gude & Godlie B. (S. T. S.), 15. To him I ȝow commit baith small and greit.

1607.  Tomkis, Lingua, IV. i. I will be Iudicium, the moderator betwixt you, and make you both friends.

1766.  Goldsm., Elegy Death Mad Dog, i. Good people all, of every sort, Give ear unto my song: And if you find it wondrous short,—It cannot hold you long.

1848.  Thackeray, Van. Fair, lxii. Fair scenes of peace and sunshine … who has ever seen you, that has not a grateful memory of those scenes of friendly repose and beauty?

1859.  Geo. Eliot, Adam Bede, ii. The lost!… Sinners!… Ah! dear friends, does that mean you and me?

  b.  as indirect object.

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxvi. 181 (Hatton MS.). Wan ieow weleʓum.

c. 1160.  Hatton Gosp., Matt. xxv. 45. Soð ic ȝu segge [etc.].

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 49. Nu we sculen heow sceawen hwilc hit is heom for to heren.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 117. Ich wile ȝiu senden þe heuenliche frefringe.

c. 1205.  Lay., 26515. Hit is eo muchel scome þat ȝe wulleð at-sceken.

a. 1250.  Prov. Ælfred, 29, in O. E. Misc., 104. He ou wolde wyssye wisliche þinges.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 115. Hit wes idon eu [Cotton MS. ov] a loþe custe.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 10997. Ȝuf we doþ ou wrong wo ssal ou do riȝt?

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 139. Sythen sal i tell yow [v.rr. ȝaw, ȝou] Of iacob and of esau.

c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 567. Ȝe habbeþ i-herd, as Ich ow tolde, For-whi God þe world maken wolde.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 3560. Here haf I shewed yhow, on Inglys, Som syns þat Saynt Austyn specifys.

c. 1400.  Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. v. 61. I graunte you leue, seyth what yow semyth eueryche in his parte.

1481.  Caxton, Godfrey, vi. 25. I shal shew yow one exampel.

1567.  Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 29. I will ȝow giue Eternall lyfe.

1638.  Brome, Antipodes, IV. vi. Ile give you halfe a dozen At the next Ale-house, to set all right.

1722.  De Foe, Plague (1840), 129. I tell you, that we have not made use of the barn.

1859.  Kingsley, Good News of God, xiii. I preach to you a Spirit … who has given you all the life you have.

  c.  As object of a preposition.

c. 975.  Rushw. Gosp., Matt. xii. 28. Cuðlice becymeþ in eow godes rice.

a. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 225. Betwuxe me and eow.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 149. Þene fule onkume … þa þe douel haueð in ow ibroht of sunne.

c. 1275.  Sinners Beware, 272, in O. E. Misc., 81. Loke seyde god nuþe Hwat ich for ou ouþe.

c. 1290.  St. Patrick, 612, in S. Eng. Leg., 218. Ȝil ich fram eov wende.

c. 1300.  Harrow. Hell (E.), 141. Helle ȝates, y com ȝou to, Now ich wil þat ȝe vndo.

1382.  Wyclif, John xviii. 39. It is a custom to ȝou, that I delyuer oon to ȝou in pask.

c. 1400.  Apol. Loll., 1. I witnes bifor God Almiȝty, and alle trewe cristunmen and wommen, and ȝowe.

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., xx. 464. And I in you, and ye in me.

1536.  Wriothesley, Chron. (Camden), I. 42. Longe to reigne over yow.

1567.  Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 31. Mark weill … How Christis croce, is for ȝow meit.

1609.  B. Jonson, Epicœne, V. iii. That it be not strange to you, I will tell you.

1722.  De Foe, Plague (1840), 130. The danger is as great from you to us, as from us to you.

1821.  Scott, Kenilw., i. Here’s an unbelieving Pagan for you, gentlemen!

1896.  Mrs. Forrester, Harlow’s Ideal, etc. 46. You have killed me between you.

  d.  As reflexive pron. (acc. or dat.) Yourselves. arch. See also youself s.v. SELF A. 2–4.

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xv. 93 (Hatton MS.). Habbað ʓe sealt on ieow, & sibbe habbað betweoh iow [Cott. MS. eow].

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 73. Wascheð ou and wonieð clene.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 5373. Þatt iss min bodeword, tatt ȝe Ȝuw lufenn swa bitwenenn Rihht alls icc hafe luredd ȝuw.

c. 1205.  Lay., 7473. Ȝarewieð eow [c. 1275 Greiþeh ow] to fihte. Ibid., 26447. Cnihtes fareð eou aȝæin.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1403. Ne drede ȝe ow nawiht.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 106. Haldes ow stille.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 92. Haid ȝe wmbethocht ȝow enkrely, Quhat perell to ȝow mycht apper.

c. 1450.  St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 3689. Demys ȝow na better in ȝour doyng Þan othir of þe same leuyng.

c. 1560.  A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), iv. 103. I will nocht brek my brane, Suppois ȝe sowld mischeif ȝow.

1601.  Shaks., Jul. C., I. i. 1. Hence: home you idle Creatures, get you home.

1611.  Bible, Isa. i. 16. Wash yee [mod. edd. you], make you cleane.

1881.  W. S. Gilbert, Patience, I. Now tell us, we pray you, Why thus you array you.

  2.  Nominative, replacing YE (sense 1).

  In early use sometimes app. for emphasis, as opposed to ye unemphatic; but often beside ye as a mere alternative.

13[?].  Cursor M., 23160 (Gött.). Vnto mi blis haf ȝue na right.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 7600. And, as yo [sc. Æneas and Hector] counsell in the cas, I comaund be done.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 8 b. What ye rede, se you practise it in lyfe and dede.

1582.  N. T. (Rhem.), Matt. v. 47. And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more?

1605.  Shaks., Macb., I. iii. 47. Mac. Speake if you can: what are you?

1611.  Bible, Ruth i. 11. Turne againe, my daughters; Why will you goe with mee?

1637.  Sc. Bk. Com. Prayer, Publ. Bapt., Exhort. Friends, you heare in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ.

1652.  Benlowes, Theoph., VI. lxxiii. Pure, scientifick and illustrious Spirits You’are.

1722.  De Foe, Plague (1840), 129. And do you assure us that you are all sound men?

1868.  Helps, Realmah, xiii. I declare you are all very unkind to me.

  b.  As vocative, chiefly in apposition with a sb. following.

1559.  Preston, Cambyses (c. 1584), F 3. Farwell you Ladies of the Court.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 158. Heare me, you wrangling Pyrates, that fall out, In sharing that which you haue pill’d from me.

1658.  Cokaine, Trappolin, V. v. You Lords of Florence, wise Machavil, and You Lord Barbarino, will you never come out of this frenzie?

1799.  Sheridan, Pizarro, II. ii. And you, my daughters,… away to the appointed place of safety.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 37. You sirs, I said, what are you conspiring about?

1885.  Tennyson, The Fleet, i. You, you, if you shall fail to understand, What England is,… On you will come the curse of all the land.

  3.  In apposition with a sb., a numeral, all, both, in nominative or objective case.

c. 1205.  Lay., 5453. & ȝif ȝe þis nulleð, alle ich ȝeow [c. 1275 ȝou] aquelle.

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 2164. Loke now on aday And blod lat ȝou þre.

1340–70.  Alex. & Dind., 65. I haue founde ȝou folk faiþrul of speche.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, X. lv. 506. Is þ^t the rule of yow arraunt knyghtes for to make a knyght to Iuste will he or nyll.

1549.  Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Phil., i. 8. I longe after you all, from the very hart rote in Iesus Christ.

a. 1596.  Sir T. More, I. i. 120. If you men durst not vndertake it, before God, we women would.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., III. iii. 69. You three From Milan did supplant good Prospero.

c. 1720.  De Foe, Mem. Cavalier, iv. (1840), 61. You English gentlemen … are too forward in the wars.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xlvi. If you law-gentlemen do these things on speculation.

1884.  ‘Edna Lyall,’ We Two, xxi. You don’t know how I love you all.

  II.  As singular, used in addressing one person (or thing); orig. as a mark of respect, later gen.

  4.  Objective, replacing the earlier THEE.

  a.  as direct object of a verb.

13[?].  Bonaventura’s Medit., 314. My wurschypful fadyr,… Here my bone … For sorowe my soule haþ ȝow soȝt.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 634. Madame,… nis it no sekenes bote þat so sore ȝouȝ eiles, I schal þurth craft þat ich kan keuer ȝou i hope.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxx. 58. I beseke you my souerayne, assente to my sawes.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 147. To mak you lord of your avne, me think it grete skill.

1585.  Jas. I., Ess. Poesie, Pref. (Arb.), 55. I will also wish zow (docile Reidar) that or ze cummer zow with reiding thir reulis [etc.].

1587.  in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., V. 138. I committ youe to the tuition of Jesu.

1650.  in Verney Mem. (1907), I. 465. If yew love your selfe, and those that love yew.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, XII. iv. Your religion … serves you only for an excuse for your faults.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., ii. It will afford me the greatest pleasure to know you, sir.

1848.  A. B. Evans, Leicestersh. Wds., 109. You’re a bigger fool, nur oi took yer to be.

1857.  Chamb. Jrnl., 6 Aug., 83/1. When I say mammon, I don’t mean idle dukes or greedy merchant-princes; my small adulterating shopkeeper, I mean you.

  b.  as indirect object. (See also 7.)

a. 1352.  Minot, Poems (ed. Hall), vi. 23. No bowes now thar ȝow bende; or blis ȝe er all bare.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, v. (Johannes), 643. Myn lord,… Þis ringe, þat I yu present now, Me gafe a pilgram to gyf ȝow,… And bad I suld gyf it ȝov til, & thange ȝou of ȝore gud vyl.

1471.  Marg. Paston, in P. Lett., III. 24. I can yw thanke for ywyr lettyr that ye sente me.

c. 1520.  Skelton, Magnyf., 2355. Nowe must I make you a lectuary softe.

1567.  Satir. Poems Reform., iii. 64. My Lord, ane taikin I ȝow plycht.

1646.  Hamilton Papers (Camden), 114. The drawing of that whereof the copy is sent yow.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, VII. viii. Let me tell you that.

1826.  Scott, Woodst., xviii. ‘Hold, woman, hold!’ said Alice Lee; ‘the dog will not do you harm.’

  c.  as object of a preposition.

a. 1352.  Minot, Poems (ed. Hall), vi. 28. Oure men sall with ȝow mote.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xl. (Ninian), 1123. Lord,… of þat land ȝet brocht haf I a man to ȝou as presonere.

c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 2417. Me thouȝt þat assemely lady come me to … & badde þat y chulde heyȝe & to ȝow go.

a 1455.  Marg. Anjou, Let. to Abbot of St. Osy (Camden), 124. Unto you that bene a member of chirche.

1482.  in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1910), XXV. 122–3. This owre ordinance made for yowe Thomas Raille nowe keper of þ^e said Brethernes locutorie.

15[?].  Adam Bel, 47, in Ritson, Anc. Pop. Poetry, 7, Thys place hath ben besette for you, Thys half yere and more.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 296. This goldne aple … I preparit and decoret vnto ȝow my Souerane.

1607.  Tomkis, Lingua, IV. i. Mendatio you offer mee great wrong to hold me, in good-faith I shall fall out with you.

1780.  Mirror, No. 97. ‘Quantity of syllables,’ exclaimed the Captain, ‘there is a modern education for you!’

1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xx. I bought her, and I’ll give her to you.

  d.  As refl. pron. (acc. or dat.). Yourself. arch.

c. 1400.  Anturs Arth., 100. Thus he comforthede þe qwene … ‘At this gaste,’ quod Sir Gaweayne, ‘greue ȝowe no more.’

c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 3470. Seynt Ede … sayde: syre kyng, drede ȝow nomore!

c. 1500.  Three Kings’ Sons, 29. Y thought that ye wolde kepe you nere aboute hym.

a. 1550[?].  Freiris Berwik, 512, in Dunbar’s Poems (1893), 302. And neir the dur ȝe hyd ȝow prevely.

1585.  [see a].

1610.  Shaks., Temp., III. i. 18. Pray set it downe, and rest you … Pray now rest your selfe.

1712.  [see GET v. 28 c].

1884.  W. S. Gilbert, Princ. Ida, III. Coward! get you hence.

  5.  Nominative, replacing THOU.

  Always const. with pl. verb, exc. in the collocation you was, prevalent in 17th and 18th c., for which see BE v. 6 ¶.

  For phr. such as you bet, you know, you see, see the verbs.

14[?].  Guy W. (Cambr. MS.), 4192. ‘Syr Gye,’ he seyde,… ‘To morowe schall yow weddyd bee.’

1489.  Barbour’s Bruce, VI. 657 (Edin. MS.). Bot the gret part to ȝow tuk ȝe, That slew iiij off the fyve ȝow ane.

1555.  Eden, Decades (Arb.), 380. Ouer the sayde byght, yow shall se a great gappe in the mountayne.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., I. i. 53. You swore to that Berowne, and to the rest.

a. 1596.  Sir T. More, I. ii. 194. Well, Maister Moore, you are a merie man.

1648.  Hamilton Papers (Camden), 236. Yow shall, if yow finde it necessary, goe from Holland to France, and deliver to the Queen’s Maj^tie this our letter.

1740.  Richardson, Pamela, I. 163. Well, Jacob, what do you stare at? Pray mind what you’re upon.

1821.  Clare, Vill. Minstrel, I. 34. If yah set any store by one yah will!

1833.  Tennyson, Death of Old Year, ii. Old year, you must not go;… Old year, you shall not go.

  b.  As vocative, chiefly in apposition with a sb. following; in reproach or contempt often repented after the sb. (cf. THOU 1 b).

c. 1500.  Melusine, 182. My lord and you my lady, yf ye vouchsaf it were tyme that we went thrugh the world at our auenture.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 288. Fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you.

1606.  Chapman, Gentl. Usher, III. i. You asse you, d’ee call my Lord horse?

1667.  Dryden & Dk. Newcastle, Sir M. Mar-all, V. iii. You old Sot you, to be caught so sillily!

1768.  Goldsm., Goodn. Man, II. And you have but too well succeeded, you little hussy, you!

1840.  Thackeray, Catherine, ix. You young hangdog, you!

1849.  H. W. Herbert, Frank Forester, II. 179. Walk a few yards ahead of me, and look out you for all that cross you!

1852.  L. Burne-Jones, Lett., 24 Jan., in Mem. (1904), I. 63. You scamp not to write before.

1919.  Capes, Skel. Key, xxi. 273. ‘I love you for trying, you dear,’ he said.

  III.  Special uses.

  6.  Denoting any hearer or reader; hence as an indef. pers. pron.: One, any one.

1577.  Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 87. You shall sometime have one branch more gallant than his fellowes.

1614.  Tomkis, Albumazar, I. iii. With this [perspicill] Ile read a leafe of that small Iliade … as plainly Twelue long miles off, as you see Pauls from Highgate.

1625.  Bacon, Ess., Atheism (Arb.), 333. Nay more, you shall haue Atheists striue to get Disciples, as it fareth with other Sects.

1707.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4351/3. One Red Buoy to the Eastward of you, as you pass this Chanel.

1726.  Swift, Gulliver, II. i. A child … began a squall that you might have heard from London Bridge to Chelsea.

1865.  Ruskin, Sesame, i. § 30. You can talk a mob into anything.

1870.  C. F. Gordon Cumming, in Good Words, 1 Feb., 133/2. The slope [is] so rapid that you can scarcely find footing when once off the beaten road.

  7.  Used with no definite meaning as indirect object (‘ethical dative’). Cf. ME 2 c. arch.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., I. ii. 84. I will roare you as gently as any Sucking Doue; I will roare and ’twere any Nightingale. Ibid. (1602), Ham., V. i. 183. If he be not rotten before he die…, he will last you some eight yeare, or nine yeare. A Tanner will last you nine yeare.

1624.  Bedell, Lett., xii. 162. Vnto him … I doe … commend you: and rest you, Your very louing brother.

1874.  Geo. Eliot, Coll. Breakf.-P., 388. Anti-social force that sweeps you down The world in one cascade of molecules.

  † 8.  As possessive = YOUR. Obs. or dial. rare.

1642.  D. Rogers, Naaman, 272. You rather will quarrel with God for not fulfilling you wills. Ibid., 290. You make benefit thereof for you owne behoofe and content.

1888.  Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk.

  9.  Qualified by a preceding adj.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., lxxxvi. 2. Bound for the prize of (all to precious) you.

1895.  Mrs. Forrester, Too Late Repented, viii. ‘Oh,’ muttered Ethel … ‘poor you, poor you!’

1904.  F. Whishaw, Tiger of Muscovy, xi. 95. How should poor little you deal with a maiden who dares to call the Tsar a bear?

  10.  As sb. a. The word as used in addressing a person or persons.

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett., IV. xix. (1890), 596. The Courtiers began to magnify him, and treat him in the plural number by You, and by degrees to deify him by transcending Titles.

1669.  Penn (title), No Cross, No Crown: or Several Sober Reasons against Hat-Honour, Titular Respects, You to a Single Person,… with Testimonies of the most famous Persons in defence of the poor despised Quakers.

  b.  The person (or such a person as the one) addressed; the personality of the one addressed.

1700.  Dryden, Fables, Poet. Ded. 138. Or Heav’n … So lik’d the Frame, he would not work anew, To save the Charges of another You.

1724–5.  Swift, Receipt to restore Stella’s Youth, 38. If your flesh and blood be new, You’ll be no more the former you.

1729.  Law, Serious C., xix. 361. I don’t mean that you have not bodies…, but that all that deserves to be called you, is nothing else but spirit.

1911.  Marett, Anthropol., viii. 231. Though the language may seem to imply a ‘you,’ he would mean, I believe, to impute to the flint just as much, or as little, of personality as we should mean to do when using similar language.

  11.  Phrasal combinations: you-be-damned a., addicted to saying ‘you be damned!’; contemptuously overbearing; hence you-be-damnedness; you-know-what, † you-wot-what sb., used instead of the name of something which it is needless or undesirable to specify; also as vb.

1545.  Ascham, Toxoph., II. (Arb.), 145. As though they were doyng you wotte what.

1605.  Camden, Rem. (1623). 29. Κακάω, to you know what.

a. 1845.  Hood, Tale of Trumpet, xxvi. And down you go, in you know what.

1857.  Commerc. Trav. Mag., II. 240. First give me, Marguerite, just a little drop of you know what. I’m quite husky.

1885.  Society in London, ix. 204. What I principally like about your Lord Hartington is his you-be-damnedness.

1891.  Kipling, Light that Failed, vi. He is such an aggressive, cocksure, you-be-damned fellow.

  Hence You v. trans., to address (a person) by the pronoun you (instead of thou); intr. with it, to use the pronoun you repeatedly. (Cf. THOU v.)

1564.  Bulleyn, Dial. agst. Pest. (1573), 1. He [sc. a beggar] thowes not God, but you[s] hym.

1675.  H. More, in R. Ward, Life (1710), 341. No Man will You God, but use the Pronoun Thou to him.

1676.  Bunyan, Strait Gate, 55. I say unto you. Had not the Lord Jesus designed by these words, to shew what an overthrow will one day be made among professors, he needed not to have you’ed it at this rate.

1848.  A. B. Evans, Leicestersh. Wds., 109. Says I, ‘Do yeaow mane to bully me?… Yeaow come here to bully me? So I yeaowed him out o’ the field.