• YELL
int. Bk1905 Sc. – an expression of defiance and contempt
n. 1. 1503-4 obs. – aisle
n. 2. Bk1905 Sc. – an echo
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
vb. 1. a1000 obs. – of an inanimate thing: to make a strident or crashing noise
vb. 2. 1387 obs. – to sing loudly, to chant
• A YELL
n. 1926 sl. – something or someone very funny or amusing
• YELL BLUE MURDER
vb. 1. 1859 sl. – to shout desperately, as if being attacked
vb. 2. 1921 sl. – to complain vociferously
• YELL BLOODY MURDER
vb. 1859 sl. – to shout and complain loudly
• YELL CALF-ROPE
vb. 1859 US sl. – to give up; to surrender; to capitulate, esp. in children’s games; to plead for mercy or admit defeat; to say uncle
• YELLER
adj. 20C US sl., derogatory – pert. to mulattoes or light-skinned Black people
n. 20C US sl., derogatory – a mulatto
• YELLER-FELLER
n. 19C Aust. sl. – a light-skinned or racially mixed Australian aborigine
• YELLERHAMMER STATE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – Alabama
• YELLERISH
adj. 1785 Eng. dial. – unearthly, ghostly, weird, uncanny; dreadful, ghastly, frightful
• YELLISH
adj. 1785 Eng. dial. – unearthly, ghostly, weird, uncanny; dreadful, ghastly, frightful
• YE’LL NEITHER DANCE NOR HAND THE CANDLE
phr. 1721 Sc. – you will neither do nor let do; neither act yourself nor assist another
• YELLOCH
n. 1513 Sc. – a yell; a shrill cry
vb. 1773 Sc. – to scream; to yell; to bawl
• YELL ONE’S HEAD OFF
vb. 1940s US sl. – to complain loudly and persistently; to express oneself forcefully
• YELLOOK!
int. 1880 Eng. dial. – look here! an exclamation denoting surprise or calling attention to anything
• YELLOP
vb. 1. 1866 Eng. dial. – to howl, to cry; to bark as a dog, to yelp
vb. 2. 1898 Eng. dial. – to chatter idly
• YELLOW
adj. 1. 1602 obs. – affected with jealousy, jealous
adj. 2. 1814 Amer. dial. – having skin of a light yellowish-brown colour; applied to a person of mixed race
adj. 3. 1856 sl., orig. US – cowardly; faint-hearted
adj. 4. 1898 orig. US – applied to newspaper (or writers of newspaper articles) of a recklessly or unscrupulously sensational character
n. 1. 1611 obs. – the colour attributed to jealousy
n. 2. 1821 Sc. obs. – a guinea-coin
n. 3. 1823 Amer. dial. – the yolk of an egg
n. 4. 1898 – a ‘yellow’ (see adj. 4) newspaper or newspaper writer
n. 5. E19 US sl. – a light-skinned Black person; a mulatto
n. 6. 1944 US drug culture sl. – a barbiturate, specifically Nembutal™; usually in the plural
n. 7. 1965 Amer. dial. – a person of mixed blood
n. 8. M20 US drug culture sl. – the drug LSD
vb. 1. 1600 obs. rare – to yelp; to bellow
vb. 2. 1747 – to retire a person
• YELLOW ANGEL
n. 20C US drug culture sl. – a barbiturate, Nembutal™
• YELLOW AS BABY SHIT
adj. 1974 US sl. – very cowardly
• YELLOW AS SAFFRON
adj. 1877 Eng. dial. – very yellow
• YELLOW-BACK
n. 20C Aust. sl. – a gob of phlegm
• YELLOW BAM
n. 1994 US sl. – methamphetamine hydrochloride, a powerful central nervous system stimulant
• YELLOW BEAR
n. 1841 Amer. dial. – a woolly bear, a hairy caterpillar
• YELLOW BEEL
n. 1746 Eng. dial. obs. – a guinea
• YELLOW-BELLIED
adj. 1924 sl., orig. US – cowardly
• YELLOW-BELLY
n. 1. 1796 Eng. dial. – a native of he Lincolnshire fens
n. 2. 1825 – a frog
n. 3. 1850 US – a name given by Western hunters and soldiers of the US to the Mexicans
n. 4. 1867 – a half-caste
n. 5. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a young salmon trout returning from the sea
n. 6. 1930 sl., orig. US – a coward
• YELLOW BERRIES
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. sl. – the inhabitants of Sandwich
• YELLOW-BLACK
n. 20C US sl., derogatory – a mulatto; a light-skinned Black person
• YELLOW-BOTTLE
n. c1450 obs. – the marigold
• YELLOW-BOY
n. 1. 1662 sl. – a gold coin; a guinea or sovereign
n. 2. Bk1903 sl.- £1
• YELLOWBOYS
n. Bk1903 sl. – money
• YELLOW BULLET
n. 1977 US sl. – a capsule of phentobarbital sodium (trade name Nembutal™, a central nervous system depressant
• YELLOW CROW-BELLS
n. 1578 obs. – the daffodil
• YELLOW-CUP
n. 1824 – a buttercup
• YELLOW DAISY
n. 1829 Amer. dial. – a buttercup
• YELLOW DIRT
n. 1753 – a contemptuous term for gold
• YELLOW DOG
n. 1. 1881 US sl. – a contemptible person; a scoundrel; a term of disparagement
n. 2. 1980s criminals’ sl. – an informer
• YELLOW DOG CONTRACT
n. 1920 US labour union usage – an employee’s work contract that forbids membership in a union
• YELLOW DOLL
n. 1977 US sl. – a capsule of phentobarbital sodium (trade name Nembutal™, a central nervous system depressant
• YELLOW EVIL
n. 1387 obs. – jaundice
• YELLOW-EYE
n. 1990 Amer. dial. – jaundice; a disease caused by jaundice
• YELLOW FELLER; YELLOW FELLOW
n. 1913 Aust. sl. – a person of mixed Aboriginal and White parentage
• YELLOWFISH
n. 1970s US sl. – an illegal Chinese immigrant
• YELLOW FEVER
n. Bk1892 Aust. sl. – greed for gold
• YELLOW-GEORGE
n. Bk1903 sl. – £1
• YELLOW-HAMMER
n. 1. 1602 obs. – a term of contempt for a person, esp. a jealous husband
n. 2. 1626 sl. obs. – a gold coin
n. 3. c1901 Amer. dial. esp. African-American usage – a person of mixed race, esp. a woman
n. 4. Bk1903 sl. – £1
n. 5. 1922 Amer. dial. – a scrawny or otherwise undesirable cow or calf
n. 6. 2000 Amer. dial., derogatory – a low-class White person
• YELLOWHAMMER STATE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – Alabama
• YELLOW HOLE
n. 1900 Ireland – the pauper burial-ground
• YELLOW JACK
n. 1836 sl. – yellow fever
• YELLOW JACKET
n. 1. 1953 US drug culture sl. – a pentobarbitone tablet
n. 2. 1981 US sl. – a high-velocity, hollow-nose, expanding bullet
• YELLOW JANDERS
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – jaundice
• YELLOW LEG
n. World War I Amer. sl. – a cavalryman
• YELLOW-LEGGED
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – courageous, ‘game’
• YELLOW LEGS
n. 1968 US sl. – the US Marines
• YELLOW-LIVERED
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – cowardly
• YELLOW-MAN
n. 1821 sl. obs. – a yellow silk handkerchief
• YELLOWNESS
n. 1598 obs. – jealousy
• YELLOW PAGES
n. 1996 US sl. – in poker: a play or a bet made strictly for the purpose of creating an impression
• YELLOW PERIL
n. 1900 sl. – the military or political threat regarded as emanating from Asian peoples, esp. the Chinese
• YELLOW PLAGUE
n. 1819 – jaundice
• YELLOWPLUSH
n. 1841 humorous usage – plush of a yellow colour, as worn by footmen; hence, a footman
• YELLOW PUMPS
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – very young calves
• YELLOW ROCK
n. 1989 US sl. – methamphetamine in rock form, yellow in colour either because of incomplete processing or the presence of adulterants
• YELLOWS
n. 1. 1561 – jaundice, chiefly in horses and cattle
n. 2. 1601 obs. – jealousy
• YELLOW SHEET
n. 1985 US sl. – a criminal record
• YELLOW SICKNESS
n. 1747 – jaundice
• YELLOW SLIPPERS
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – very young calves
• YELLOW SOUGHT
n. a1400 obs. – jaundice
• YELLOW STREAK
n. 1896 sl. – cowardice; excessive timidity
• YELLOW-STREAKED
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – cowardly
• YELLOW SUNSHINE
n. 1960s drug culture sl. – LSD
• YELLOWTHROAT
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a bullfrog
• YELLOWWEED
n. 1790 Amer. dial. – a buttercup
• YELLOW WOOLLY BEAR
n. 1885 Amer. dial. – a woolly bear, a hairy caterpillar
• YELLOW-WYMED
adj. 1824 Sc. – yellow-bellied, cowardly
• YELLOW-YOWLING
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – sickly and jaundiced-looking
• YELLUCKS!
int. 1880 Eng. dial. – look here! an exclamation denoting surprise or calling attention to anything
• YELLY-HOOING
n. 1890 Sc. – yelling, screaming
• YELOWSE
adj. a1400 obs. – jealous
• YELP
n. 1. c888 obs. – boasting, vainglorious speaking
n. 2. 1861 Sc. – a blow; a buffet
n. 3. 1896 Sc. – a whine
vb. 1. c888 obs. – to boast; to speak vaingloriously
vb. 2. c1400 obs. – to call out loudly or shrilly, to utter
vb. 3. c1450 obs. – lift up one’s voice; to cry aloud; to sing loud or on a high note
vb. 4. 1677 Eng. dial. – squeak as a mouse; to chirp as a bird
vb. 5. 1706 – to complain, to whine
• YELPER
n. 1. 1340 obs. – a boaster
n. 2. 1673 – a term of contempt applied to a speaker or writer, whose utterance is compared to a dog’s yelp
n. 3. 1725 sl. – a town-crier
n. 4. 1802 – a young partridge
n. 5. 1823 sl. – a wild animal
n. 6. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a young dog
n. 7. 1970s sl. – the screaming and wavering warning signal used on police cars, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to yelp; to howl
• YELPING
n. a1050 obs. – boasting; proud or pompous talk
• YELPINGAL
n. 1888 Eng. dial. – the green woodpecker
• YELPINGALE
n. 1852 Eng. dial.- the green woodpecker, Gecinus viridis
• YELT
n. c1000 Eng. dial. – a young sow
• YELTA!
int. c1820 Sc. – an exclamation of surprise
• YELVE
n. 1688 Eng. dial. – a garden-fork
• YEME
n. c893 obs. – care, heed, attention
vb. 1. c888 obs. – to care for, to take notice of, to consider
vb. 2. c897 obs. – to give heed or attention to, to attend to, to look after; to take heed
vb. 3. a900 obs. – to take care of, to keep; to have charge of, to have in keeping; to guard, to protect, to preserve from injury
vb. 4. c1000 obs. – to have the command or oversight of; to rule, to govern, to manage, to control
• YEMELES
adj. c897 obs. – careless, heedless, negligent
• YEMELICH
adj. c1205 obs. rare – full of care, anxious
• YEMER
n. c1320 obs. – a keeper, a guardian; a ruler
• YEMING
n. c1250 obs. – care, keeping, protection
• YEMSEL
n. c1200 chiefly Sc. obs. – keeping, care, charge, custody
• YEN
n. 1. 1876 UK sl. – an intense craving, esp. for a drug; an addiction
n. 2. 1926 US sl. – opium
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – an infatuation
vb. 1. 1825 Eng. dial. – to throw, to fling; esp. to throw stones, etc.
vb. 2. 1886 Eng. dial. – to end
vb. 3. 1919 US sl. – to crave a drug intensely
• YEND
vb. c1000 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to end
• YEN FOR
vb. 1906 sl. – to want
• YENLADE
n. 1656 Eng. dial. obs. – an estuary; the mouth of a river
• YENLET
n. 1656 Eng. dial. obs. – an estuary; the mouth of a river
• YENNEP
n. Bk1903 back slang – penny (1d)
• YENNOMS
n. Bk1903 back slang – money
• YEN-ON
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – an infatuation
• YENOO
adv. 1874 Sc. – just now; at present, presently
• YEN POCK
n. 1934 US sl. – an opium pellet
• YEN POX
n. 1957 US sl. – opium ash
• YENSHEE BABY
n. 1938 US sl. – an extremely constipated bowel movement that is the product of opiate addiction
• YEN SLEEP
n. 1972 US sl. – a drowsiness encountered by many LSD users after the effects of the drug have worn off
• YENTA; YENTE
n. 1923 US sl. – a gossip; a busybody; a scold
• YENTYLL
adj. a1533 obs. – gentle
• YENTZ
vb. 1. 1930 US sl. – to swindle, to cheat, to deceive
vb. 2. 1950 sl. – to abuse
vb. 3. 20C Yiddish – to copulate or screw
• YENTZER
n. 20C Yiddish – a man or woman who copulates frequently or obsessively
• YEN-YEN
n. 1886 US sl. – opium addiction or a craving for opium
• YEO
n. 1995 US sl. – crack cocaine
• YEOMAN
n. c1440 obs. rare – a term of disparagement
• YEOMAN ALE
n. 1532 obs. – second-quality ale
• YEOMAN BREAD
n. 1430 obs. – second-quality bread
• YEOMANLY
adj. c1626 – sturdy, courageous
adv. c1386 – in a sturdily courageous manner
• YEOMANRY
n. 1375 obs. – a company of yeomen
• YEOMAN WAITER
n. 1592 – a warder of the Tower of London
• YEOMEN
n. 1523-34 obs. rare – the pawns at chess
• YEOPARDIE
n. 1535 obs. – jeopardy
• YEOS
n. 1798 Ireland – yeomen
• YEOVERY
adj. 1. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – fastidious with regard to food
adj. 2. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – hungry
• YEP!
int. 1. 1690 – a call to urge on a horse
int. 2. 1891 – yes; certainly; sure
int. 3. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a cry used in driving sheep
n. 1. 1839 Eng. dial. – an impudent, forward child or youth; a mischievous lad
n. 2. 1839 Eng. dial. – a perverse, wilful animal
• YEPE
adj. 1. c1000 obs. – cunning, crafty, sly, wily
adj. 2. c1000 obs. – prudent, wise, sagacious, shrewd, astute
adj. 3. c1205 obs. – active, nimble, brisk, alert, bold, daring
• YEPIE
n. 1825 Sc. obs. – a blow as with a sword
• YEPLY
adv. 1. a900 obs. – cunningly, craftily; shrewdly, sagaciously
adv. 2. a1300 obs. – quickly, briskly; promptly, without delay
• YEPPER
adj. 1893 Eng. dial. – brisk, active, in good spirits
• YEPS!
int. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – an exclamation of reproof
• YEPSEN
n. c1325 Eng. dial. – the two hands placed together so as to form a bowl-shaped cavity; as much as can be held in this
• YEPSINTLE
n. 1691 Eng. dial. – as much as can be taken up in both hands together; a double handful
• YERBA
n. M20 US drug culture sl. – marijuana
• YERD
adj. 1821 Sc. – buried
vb. 1. a1225 obs. rare – to beat with a rod
vb. 2. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to burrow underground as a rabbit or mole; also used of miners
• YERDE
vb. c1515 Sc. – to dwell
• YERD-HUNGER
n. 1. 1825 Sc. – keen desire of food; voraciousness
n. 2. 1823 Sc. – voracious desire for land
• YERD-HUNGRY
adj. 1825 Sc. – voraciously hungry
• YERE
vb. c1205 obs. – to desire, to long or yearn for; to express a desire for, to request
• YERESGIFT
n. a1400 obs. – a gift customarily given at the New Year, or at the beginning of a year of office
• YERESTRENE
adv. 1802 Sc. – the night before last
• YERESYEVE
n. 1194 obs. – a gift customarily given at the New Year, or at the beginning of a year of office
• YERING
n. a1300 obs. – desire, longing; request
• YERK
n. 1. 1509 obs. Sc. & Eng. dial. – 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
n. 2. 1577 obs. rare – an impulse, an eager desire
n. 3. 1581 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – the act of lashing out with the heels, as a horse; a kick; a sudden or abrupt movement, a jerk, a twitch
n. 4. 1896 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial. – a sudden jerk or pull, a snatch
vb. 1. c1430 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to draw stitches tight, to twitch, as a shoemaker in sewing; also, to bind tightly with cords
vb. 2. c1520 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to strike smartly, esp. with a rod or whip; to beat, to thrash, to flog, to lash, to stab; to drive with a whip
vb. 3. 1565 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to lash or strike out with the heels; to kick
vb. 4. 1568 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to pull, push, or throw with a sudden movement; to jerk
vb. 5. 1593 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to stir up, to excite
vb. 6. 1599 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to lash out with the legs, as a horse; to move some part of the body with a jerk or twitch
vb. 7. 1604 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to utter spasmodically; to ‘jerk out’ words; to start a song, etc.
vb. 8. 1611 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to spring or rise suddenly; esp. of animals
vb. 9. 1621 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – to carp at
vb. 10. 1737 Sc. – to think hard; to beat one’s brains; of the mind: to be busy, worked up, or excited
vb. 11. 1781 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to push; to slam; to shut with force
vb. 12. 1811 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial. – to jerk; to seize or pull forcibly; to snatch, to wrench, to force
vb. 13. 1823 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to cast violently; to toss
vb. 14. 1827 Sc. – to break; to cleave; to cut, to chop, to hack
vb. 15. 1843 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to move quickly or hastily; to push on; to do anything energetically; to work hard
vb. 16. 1873 Sc. – to start a tune; to commence singing, playing, etc.
vb. 17. 1895 Eng. dial. – to pack tightly; to ram full
• YERKER
n. 1. 1664 – a kicker; a flogger
n. 2. 1825 Sc. – a sudden and very severe blow
• YERKING
adj. 1598 sl. – lashing, stinging
• YERKSOME
adj. 1883 Sc. – annoying, irksome
• YERM
vb. 1832 Sc. – to whine, to complain; to utter low cries; to ask questions in a querulous tone
• YERN
adj. 1. c893 obs. – eager, earnestly or keenly desirous; also, greedy, covetous
adj. 2. a1300 obs. – earnestly occupied or engaged, busy about something
adj. 3. a1300 obs. – swift, rapid; brisk, lively; nimble, active
vb. c900 obs. – to run
• YERNE
adv. 1. c888 obs. – willingly, gladly; occasionally, wilfully
adv. 2. c1000 obs. – thoroughly, well
adv. 3. a1023 obs. – quickly, swiftly, rapidly, fast, briskly, at a great rate
adv. 4. a1200 obs. – eagerly, earnestly, diligently, zealously, heartily
adv. 5. c1320 obs. – quickly, without delay, immediately, directly, soon
• YERNER
n. a1400 obs. – a runner
• YERNLY
adv. c725 obs. – eagerly, earnestly, diligently, zealously, heartily
• YERNSFUL
adj. 1878 Eng. dial. obs. – earnest; with great longing or yearning
• YERNSTFUL
adj. 1878 Eng. dial. – earnest; with great longing or yearning
• YERP
n. 1. Bk1905 Sc. – the act of fretting
n. 2. 20C Irish sl. – a whining, complaining person
vb. 1. E19 sl. – to talk, to make a noise, esp. to shout at, like a dog
vb. 2. Bk1905 Sc. – to fret, grumble
vb. 3. Bk1905 Sc. & Ireland – to yelp
• YERR
n. a1225 obs. – a loud or harsh cry; a yell, a howl
vb. a1000 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to make a harsh noise, to creak, to roar, to rattle; to cry out loudly, to shout out, to yell, to howl
• YERRAH
int. 1892 Ireland – an exclamation of surprise
• YERT
n. 1509 obs. rare – a sharp or smart blow or stroke
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Updated: October 1, 2022
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