► YELL int. an expression of defiance and contempt → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
n. 1. aisle → 1503 obs.
n. 2. an echo → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
n. 3. something excellent → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
vb. 1. of an inanimate thing: to make a strident or crashing noise → 1000 obs.
vb. 2. to sing loudly, to chant → 1387 obs.
► A YELL n. something or someone very funny or amusing → 1926 sl.
► YELL BLUE MURDER vb. 1. to shout desperately, as if being attacked → 1859 sl.
vb. 2. to complain vociferously → 1921 sl.
► YELL BLOODY MURDER vb. to shout and complain loudly → 1859 sl.
► YELL CALF-ROPE vb. to give up; to surrender; to capitulate, esp. in children’s games; to plead for mercy or admit defeat; to say uncle → 1859 US sl.
► YELLER adj. pert. to mulattoes or light-skinned Black people → 20C US sl., derogatory
n. a mulatto → 20C US sl., derogatory
► YELLER-FELLER n. a light-skinned or racially mixed Australian aborigine → 19C Aust. sl.
► YELLERHAMMER STATE n. Alabama → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► YELLERISH adj. unearthly, ghostly, weird, uncanny; dreadful, ghastly, frightful → 1785 Eng. dial.
► YELLISH adj. unearthly, ghostly, weird, uncanny; dreadful, ghastly, frightful → 1785 Eng. dial.
► YE’LL NEITHER DANCE NOR HAND THE CANDLE phr. you will neither do nor let do; neither act yourself nor assist another → 1721 Sc.
► YELLOCH n. a yell; a shrill cry → 1513 Sc.
vb. to scream; to yell; to bawl → 1773 Sc.
► YELL ONE’S HEAD OFF vb. to complain loudly and persistently; to express oneself forcefully → 1940 US sl.
► YELLOOK! int. look here! an exclamation denoting surprise or calling attention to anything → 1880 Eng. dial.
► YELLOP vb. 1. to howl, to cry; to bark as a dog, to yelp → 1866 Eng. dial.
vb. 2. to chatter idly → 1898 Eng. dial.
► YELLOW adj. 1. affected with jealousy, jealous → 1602 obs.
adj. 2. having skin of a light yellowish-brown colour; applied to a person of mixed race → 1814 Amer. dial.
adj. 3. cowardly; faint-hearted → 1856 sl., orig. US
adj. 4. applied to newspaper (or writers of newspaper articles) of a recklessly or unscrupulously sensational character → 1898 orig. US
n. 1. the colour attributed to jealousy → 1611 obs.
n. 2. a light-skinned Black person; a mulatto → E19 US sl.
n. 3. a guinea-coin → 1821 Sc. obs.
n. 4. the yolk of an egg → 1823 Amer. dial.
n. 5. a ‘yellow’ (see adj. 4) newspaper or newspaper writer → 1898
n. 6. a barbiturate, specifically Nembutal™; usually in the plural → 1944 US drug culture sl.
n. 7. a person of mixed blood → 1965 Amer. dial.
vb. 1. to yelp; to bellow → 1600 obs.
vb. 2. to retire a person → 1747
► YELLOW ANGEL n. a barbiturate, Nembutal™ → 20C US drug culture sl.
► YELLOW AS BABY SHIT adj. very cowardly → 1974 US sl.
► YELLOW AS SAFFRON adj. very yellow → 1877 Eng. dial.
► YELLOW-BACK n. a gob of phlegm → 20C Aust. sl.
► YELLOW BAM n. methamphetamine hydrochloride, a powerful central nervous system stimulant → 1994 US sl.
► YELLOW BEAR n. a woolly bear, a hairy caterpillar → 1841 Amer. dial.
► YELLOW BEEL n. a guinea → 1746 Eng. dial. obs.
► YELLOW-BELLIED adj. cowardly → 1924 sl., orig. US
► YELLOW-BELLY n. 1. a native of he Lincolnshire fens → 1796 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a frog → 1825
n. 3. a name given by Western hunters and soldiers of the US to the Mexicans → 1850 US
n. 4. a half-caste → 1867
n. 5. a Chinese → 20C US
n. 6. a young salmon trout returning from the sea → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
n. 7. a coward → 1930 sl., orig. US
► YELLOW BERRIES n. the inhabitants of Sandwich → 1905 Eng. dial. sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOW-BLACK n. a mulatto; a light-skinned Black person → 20C US sl., derogatory
► YELLOW-BOTTLE n. the marigold → 1450 obs.
► YELLOW-BOY n. 1. a gold coin; a guinea or sovereign → 1662 sl.
n. 2. a Chinese → E20 US
n. 3. £1 → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOWBOYS n. money → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOW BULLET n. a capsule of phentobarbital sodium (trade name Nembutal™, a central nervous system depressant → 1977 US sl.
► YELLOW CROW-BELLS n. the daffodil → 1578 obs.
► YELLOW-CUP n. a buttercup → 1824
► YELLOW DAISY n. a buttercup → 1829 Amer. dial.
► YELLOW DIRT n. a contemptuous term for gold → 1753
► YELLOW DOG n. 1. a contemptible person; a scoundrel; a term of disparagement → 1881 US sl.
n. 2. a coward → 20C US sl.
n. 3. an informer → 1980 criminals’ sl.
► YELLOW DOG CONTRACT n. an employee’s work contract that forbids membership in a union → 1920 US labour union usage
► YELLOW DOLL n. a capsule of phentobarbital sodium (trade name Nembutal™, a central nervous system depressant 1977 US sl.
► YELLOW EVIL n. jaundice → 1387 obs.
► YELLOW-EYE n. jaundice; a disease caused by jaundice → 1990 Amer. dial.
► YELLOW FELLER ► YELLOW FELLOW n. a person of mixed Aboriginal and White parentage → 1913 Aust. sl.
► YELLOWFISH n. an illegal Chinese immigrant → 1970 US sl.
► YELLOW FEVER n. greed for gold → 1892 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOW-GEORGE n. £1 → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOW GIRL n. a female mulatto → 19C US colloq.
► YELLOW-HAMMER n. 1. a term of contempt for a person, esp. a jealous husband → 1602 obs.
n. 2. a gold coin → 1626 sl. obs.
n. 3. a person of mixed race, esp. a woman → 1901 Amer. dial. esp. African-American
n. 4. £1 (Bk.) → 1903 sl.
n. 5. a scrawny or otherwise undesirable cow or calf → 1922 Amer. dial.
n. 6. a low-class White person → 2000 Amer. dial., derogatory
► YELLOWHAMMER STATE n. Alabama → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOW HEEL n. a coward → 20C US sl.
► YELLOW HOLE n. the pauper burial-ground → 1900 Ireland
► YELLOW JACK n. yellow fever → 1836 sl.
► YELLOW JACKET n. 1. a pentobarbitone tablet → 1953 US drug culture sl.
n. 2. a high-velocity, hollow-nose, expanding bullet → 1981 US sl.
► YELLOW JANDERS n. jaundice → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YELLOW LEG n. a cavalryman → 1915 World War I Amer. sl.
► YELLOW-LEGGED adj. courageous, ‘game’ → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YELLOW LEGS n. the US Marines → 1968 US sl.
► YELLOW-LIVERED adj. cowardly → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOW-MAN n. a yellow silk handkerchief → 1821 sl. obs.
► YELLOWNESS n. jealousy → 1598 obs.
► YELLOW PAGES n. in poker: a play or a bet made strictly for the purpose of creating an impression → 1996 US sl.
► YELLOW PERIL n. the military or political threat regarded as emanating from Asian peoples, esp. the Chinese → 1900 sl.
► YELLOW PLAGUE n. jaundice → 1819
► YELLOWPLUSH n. plush of a yellow colour, as worn by footmen; hence, a footman → 1841 humorous usage
► YELLOW PUMPS n. very young calves → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YELLOW ROCK n. methamphetamine in rock form, yellow in colour either because of incomplete processing or the presence of adulterants → 1989 US sl.
► YELLOWS n. 1. jaundice, chiefly in horses and cattle → 1561
n. 2. jealousy → 1601 obs.
► YELLOW SHEET n. a criminal record → 1985 US sl.
► YELLOW SICKNESS n. jaundice → 1747
► YELLOW SLIPPERS n. very young calves → 1905 Eng. dial.(Bk.)
► YELLOW SOUGHT n. jaundice → 1400 obs.
► YELLOW STREAK n. cowardice; excessive timidity → 1896 sl.
► YELLOW-STREAKED adj. cowardly → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► YELLOW SUNSHINE n. LSD → 1960 US drug culture sl.
► YELLOWTHROAT n. a bullfrog → 1967 Amer. dial.
► YELLOWWEED n. a buttercup → 1790 Amer. dial.
► YELLOW WOOLLY BEAR n. a woolly bear, a hairy caterpillar → 1885 Amer. dial.
► YELLOW-WYMED adj. yellow-bellied, cowardly → 1824 Sc.
► YELLOW-YOWLING adj. sickly and jaundiced-looking → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YELLUCKS! int. look here! an exclamation denoting surprise or calling attention to anything → 1880 Eng. dial.
► YELLY-HOOING n. yelling, screaming → 1890 Sc.
► YELOWSE adj. jealous → 1400 obs.
► YELP n. 1. boasting, vainglorious speaking → 1400 obs.
n. 2. a blow; a buffet → 1861 Sc.
n. 3. a whine → 1896 Sc.
vb. 1. to boast; to speak vaingloriously → 888 obs.
vb. 2. to call out loudly or shrilly, to utter → 1400 obs.
vb. 3. lift up one’s voice; to cry aloud; to sing loud or on a high note → 1450 obs.
vb. 4. squeak as a mouse; to chirp as a bird → 1677 Eng. dial.
vb. 5. to complain, to whine → 1706
► YELPER n. 1. a boaster → 1340 obs.
n. 2. a term of contempt applied to a speaker or writer, whose utterance is compared to a dog’s yelp → 1673
n. 3. a town-crier → 1725 sl.
n. 4. a young partridge → 1802
n. 5. a wild animal → 1823 sl.
n. 6. a young dog → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
n. 7. the screaming and wavering warning signal used on police cars, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles → 1970 sl.
vb. to yelp; to howl → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YELPING n. boasting; proud or pompous talk → 1050 obs.
► YELPINGAL n. the green woodpecker → 1888 Eng. dial.
► YELPINGALE n. the green woodpecker, Gecinus viridis → 1852 Eng. dial.
► YELT n. a young sow → 1000 Eng. dial.
► YELTA! int. an exclamation of surprise → 1820 Sc.
► YELVE n. a garden-fork → 1688 Eng. dial.
► YEME n. care, heed, attention → 893 obs.
vb. 1. to care for, to take notice of, to consider → 888 obs.
vb. 2. to give heed or attention to, to attend to, to look after; to take heed → 897 obs.
vb. 3. to take care of, to keep; to have charge of, to have in keeping; to guard, to protect, to preserve from injury → 900 obs.
vb. 4. to have the command or oversight of; to rule, to govern, to manage, to control → 1000 obs.
► YEMELES adj. careless, heedless, negligent → 897 obs.
► YEMELICH adj. full of care, anxious → 1205 obs.
► YEMER n. a keeper, a guardian; a ruler → 1320 obs.
► YEMING n. care, keeping, protection → 1250 obs.
► YEMSEL n. keeping, care, charge, custody → 1200 chiefly Sc. obs.
► YEN n. 1. an intense craving, esp. for a drug; an addiction → 1876 UK sl.
n. 2. sexual arousal or desire → 20C colloq.
n. 3. opium → 1926 US sl.
n. 4. an infatuation → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
vb. 1. to throw, to fling; esp. to throw stones, etc. → 1825 Eng. dial.
vb. 2. to end → 1886 Eng. dial.
vb. 3. to crave a drug intensely → 1919 US sl.
► YEN-CHEE ► YEN-SHEE n. 1. the residue or ‘ash’ left in an opium pipe → 20C US drug culture sl.
n. 2. heroin → 20C drug culture sl.
► YEND vb. to end → 1000 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► YEN FOR vb. to want → 1906 sl.
► YENLADE n. an estuary; the mouth of a river → 1656 Eng. dial. obs.
► YENLET n. an estuary; the mouth of a river → 1656 Eng. dial. obs.
► YENNEP n. penny (1d) → 1903 back slang (Bk.)
► YENNOMS n. money → 1903 back slang (Bk.)
► YEN-ON n. an infatuation → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► YENOO adv. just now; at present, presently → 1874 Sc.
► YEN POCK n. an opium pellet → 1934 US sl.
► YEN POX n. opium ash → 1957 US sl.
► YEN-SHE n. opium ashes mixed with whisky → 20C US drug culture sl.
► YENSHEE BABY n. an extremely constipated bowel movement that is the product of opiate addiction → 1938 US sl.
► YEN SLEEP n. a drowsiness encountered by many LSD users after the effects of the drug have worn off → 1972 US sl.
► YENTA ► YENTE n. a gossip; a busybody; a scold → 1923 US sl.
► YENTYLL adj. gentle → 1533 obs.
► YENTZ vb. 1. to copulate or screw → 20C Yiddish
vb. 2. to swindle, to cheat, to deceive → 1930 US sl.
vb. 3. to abuse → 1950 sl.
► YENTZER n. a man or woman who copulates frequently or obsessively → 20C Yiddish
► YEN-YEN n. opium addiction or a craving for opium → 1886 US sl.
► YEO n. crack cocaine → 1995 US sl.
► YEOMAN n. a term of disparagement → 1440 obs.
► YEOMAN ALE n. second-quality ale → 1532 obs.
► YEOMAN BREAD n. second-quality bread → 1430 obs.
► YEOMANLY adj. sturdy, courageous → 1626
adv. in a sturdily courageous manner → 1386
► YEOMANRY n. a company of yeomen → 1375 obs.
► YEOMAN WAITER n. a warder of the Tower of London → 1592
► YEOMEN n. the pawns at chess → 1523 obs.
► YEOPARDIE n. jeopardy → 1535 obs.
► YEOS n. yeomen → 1798 Ireland
► YEOVERY adj. 1. fastidious with regard to food → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
adj. 2. hungry → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YEP! int. 1. a call to urge on a horse → 1690
int. 2. yes; certainly; sure → 1891
int. 3. a cry used in driving sheep → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
n. 1. an impudent, forward child or youth; a mischievous lad → 1839 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a perverse, wilful animal → 1839 Eng. dial.
► YEPE adj. 1. cunning, crafty, sly, wily → 1000 obs.
adj. 2. prudent, wise, sagacious, shrewd, astute → 1000 obs.
adj. 3. active, nimble, brisk, alert, bold, daring → 1000 obs.
► YEPIE n. a blow as with a sword → 1825 Sc. obs.
► YEPLY adv. 1. cunningly, craftily; shrewdly, sagaciously → 900 obs.
adv. 2. quickly, briskly; promptly, without delay → 1300 obs.
► YEPPER adj. brisk, active, in good spirits → 1893 Eng. dial.
► YEPS! int. an exclamation of reproof → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YEPSEN n. the two hands placed together so as to form a bowl-shaped cavity; as much as can be held in this → 1325 Eng. dial.
► YEPSINTLE n. as much as can be taken up in both hands together; a double handful → 1691 Eng. dial.
► YERBA n. marijuana → M20 US drug culture sl.
► YERD adj. buried → 1821 Sc.
vb. 1. to beat with a rod → 1225 obs.
vb. 2. to burrow underground as a rabbit or mole; also used of miners → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YERDE vb. to dwell → 1515 Sc.
► YERD-HUNGER n. 1. voracious desire for land → 1823 Sc.
n. 2. keen desire of food; voraciousness → 1825 Sc.
► YERD-HUNGRY adj. voraciously hungry → 1825 Sc.
► YERE vb. to desire, to long or yearn for; to express a desire for, to request → 1205 obs.
► YERESGIFT n. a gift customarily given at the New Year, or at the beginning of a year of office → 1400 obs.
► YERESTRENE adv. the night before last → 1802 Sc.
► YERESYEVE n. a gift customarily given at the New Year, or at the beginning of a year of office → 1194 obs.
► YERING n. desire, longing; request → 1300 obs.
► YERK n. 1. a smart blow or stroke, as of a whip or rod, or of a heaving body falling; a lash, also, the sound of such a blow; the crack of a whip; a heavy thump, a thud; a flogging; a stab → 1509 obs. Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 2. an impulse, an eager desire → 1577 obs.
n. 3. the act of lashing out with the heels, as a horse; a kick; a sudden or abrupt movement, a jerk, a twitch → 1581 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 4. a sudden jerk or pull, a snatch → 1896 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial.
vb. 1. to draw stitches tight, to twitch, as a shoemaker in sewing; also, to bind tightly with cords → 1430 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 2. to strike smartly, esp. with a rod or whip; to beat, to thrash, to flog, to lash, to stab; to drive with a whip → 1520 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 3. to lash or strike out with the heels; to kick → 1565 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 4. to pull, push, or throw with a sudden movement; to jerk → 1568 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
vb. 5. to stir up, to excite → 1593 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 6. to lash out with the legs, as a horse; to move some part of the body with a jerk or twitch → 1599 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 7. to utter spasmodically; to ‘jerk out’ words; to start a song, etc. → 1604 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 8. to spring or rise suddenly; esp. of animals → 1611 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 9. to carp at → 1621 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 10. to think hard; to beat one’s brains; of the mind: to be busy, worked up, or excited → 1737 Sc.
vb. 11. to push; to slam; to shut with force → 1781 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 12. to jerk; to seize or pull forcibly; to snatch, to wrench, to force → 1811 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial.
vb. 13. to cast violently; to toss → 1823 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 14. to break; to cleave; to cut, to chop, to hack → 1827 Sc.
vb. 15. to move quickly or hastily; to push on; to do anything energetically; to work hard → 1843 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 16. to start a tune; to commence singing, playing, etc. → 1873 Sc.
vb. 17. to pack tightly; to ram full → 1895 Eng. dial.
► YERKER n. 1. a kicker; a flogger → 1664
n. 2. a sudden and very severe blow → 1825 Sc.
► YERKING adj. lashing, stinging → 1598 sl.
► YERKSOME adj. annoying, irksome → 1883 Sc.
► YERM vb. to whine, to complain; to utter low cries; to ask questions in a querulous tone → 1832 Sc.
► YERN adj. 1. eager, earnestly or keenly desirous; also, greedy, covetous → 893 obs.
adj. 2. earnestly occupied or engaged, busy about something → 1300 obs.
adj. 3. swift, rapid; brisk, lively; nimble, active → 1300 obs.
vb. to run → 900 obs.
► YERNE adv. 1. willingly, gladly; occasionally, wilfully → 888 obs.
adv. 2. thoroughly, well → 1000 obs.
adv. 3. quickly, swiftly, rapidly, fast, briskly, at a great rate → 1023 obs.
adv. 4. eagerly, earnestly, diligently, zealously, heartily → 1200 obs.
adv. 5. quickly, without delay, immediately, directly, soon → 1320 obs.
► YERNER n. a runner → 1400 obs.
► YERNLY adv. eagerly, earnestly, diligently, zealously, heartily → 725 obs.
► YERNSFUL adj. earnest; with great longing or yearning → 1878 Eng. dial. obs.
► YERNSTFUL adj. earnest; with great longing or yearning → 1878 Eng. dial.
► YERNT n. a despised person; an outcast → L20 US students’ sl.
► YERP n. 1. a whining, complaining person → 20C Irish sl.
n. 2. the act of fretting → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
vb. 1. to talk, to make a noise, esp. to shout at, like a dog → E19 sl.
vb. 2. to fret, grumble → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
vb. 3. to yelp → 1905 Sc. & Ireland (Bk.)
► YERR n. a loud or harsh cry; a yell, a howl → 1225 obs.
vb. to make a harsh noise, to creak, to roar, to rattle; to cry out loudly, to shout out, to yell, to howl → 1000 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► YERRAH int. an exclamation of surprise → 1892 Ireland
► YERT n. a sharp or smart blow or stroke → 1509 obs.
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