yerk 
n. intrans. 1. To lash out, as ahorse; kick. 
[Obsolete or provincial.] 
I holiie him not for a good beast that when they lade 
him will stand stock stil, and when they unlade him will 
yerkeoMt behinde. 
Guetsaray Letters (tr. by Hellowes, lu77), p. 81. 
The horse, being mad withal, yerked out behind. 
North. 
2. To move with sudden jerks ; jerk. [Obso- 
lete or provincial.] 
Slcud from the lashes of my yerkhig rime. 
Margton^ Scoui"ge of Villanie, i., Prol. 
yerk'^ (yerk), «. [< yerlfl, f.] A sudden or 
quick thrust or motion; a kick; a smart 
stroke ; a blow. Also yark. [Obsolete or pro- 
vincial.] 
A yarke of a whip. Fiorio, p. 93. 
Imagine twenty thousand of them . . . battering the 
warrioi-s' faces into mummy by terrible yerks from their 
hinder hoofs. Swifts Gulliver's Travels, iv. 12. 
yerl (yerl), «. A Scotch form of earl. 
yernlf, '■• '• An old spelling of yearn^. 
yernH, «• [ME., < AS. geom, eager: see yearn^, 
f.] Brisk; lively; sprightly; eager. 
But uf hir sung it was as loud and yeme 
As any swalwe sittynge on a l>erne. 
Chatuxr, Miller's Tale, 1. 71. 
yern-t, "■ '• [ME. gimcn, gcnien, < AS. gcynian, 
(lexrnaii, run, tr. run for, gain by running, < 
ge- -t- yrnan, lernaii, run: see run^. ren^, and cf. 
earn^, yearnS.^ To run ; pass swiftly. 
Tlius 3irnez the jere in 3isterdayez mony, 
&, wynter wyndez ngayn. 
Sir Gawaynt and the Green Knight (E. E. T. 8.), 1. 629. 
yeni'''t, ». and n. An old form of iron. 
yemet, adv. [ME., < AS. gcome, eagerly, < georn, 
eager: see ^anil, i/er«l, «.] 1. Soon; early. 
If I late or yeme 
Wold it biwreye, or dorst, or sholde, or konne. 
Chancer, Troilus, iii. 376. 
2, Qiuckly; promptly. 
What ne*le were it this preyere for to weme, 
Syne ye sliul both ban folk and toun as yerne. 
Chaucf^r, Troiius, iv. 112. 
yerneyt, a- An obsolete form of irony^. 
Thou didste beholde it vntil there came a stone smy ten 
oat without liandfs, which smitte the iinnge vpon his 
yerney & ertheu feete, breking them al to powlder. 
Joye, Expos, of Daniel, ii. 
yemfult, «• A spelling of yeariiful. 
yemut, yarnut (yfr'nut, yiir'nut), H. [See 
ariio'., enrthniit.'] The earthnut or hawknut, 
Conopodium denudatum (Biinium flexuosiim). 
yes (yes), ode. [Also dial. .i/i«; < ME. ,Ti>, ji<?, < 
A.S. gisi', gcse, yes ; perhaps reduced, by reason 
of its frequent use and its essentially unitary 
meaning, from ged si, ' yea, be it (so) ' : ged, yea ; 
si. gy (= 6. set = L. sit, etc.), M pers. pi. subj. 
of beon, be: see 6«'. It is possible that the 
second element is a reduced form of sicd, so: 
cf. F. Sp. Pg. It. si, yes, < L. sic, so.] A word 
which expresses affirmation or consent : op- 
posed to no. It is also used, like yea, to en- 
force by repetition or adilition something v/hich 
precedes. 
Ilant. But, by your leave, it never yet did hurt 
To lay down likelihoods and forms of hope. 
L. Bard. Yes, if tlii^ present (luality of war, 
Indeed the instant action : a cause on foot 
Lives so in \\o\te as In an early spring 
We see the appearing Inids. 
Shak., 2 lien. IV., i. 3. :ie. 
Yes, you despise the man t<> l)ooks contin'd. 
Pope, Moral Essays, t. 1. 
May, See, see! what's he walks yonder? is he mad? 
Fall. Tiiat 's a niusician ; »/cx, he 's besides himself. 
Dekkerand Webster, N'oitliward Ho, iv. 4. 
Will spring return? . . . 
Ye", prattlers, yes. Tlie daisy's llower 
Again shall paint your sunnner liower. 
Scolt, Marntion, i., Int. 
[For distinction between yes and yea, no and tiay, see 
yea.] 
yesk (yesk), r. i. A variant of yex. [Old Eng. 
and Scotch.] 
I yeske, I gyue a noyse out of my stomacke. . . . Whan 
he yeiketh next, tell hym some straungu newcs, and he 
siiiiil leave it. Palsffritve, p. 78«. 
yestt, «. An obsolete form of yeast. 
yester- (yes'ter). [< ME. yester-, yister-, gis- 
tcr-, ^ustrr-, z'lstiir-, yhistrc-, ger>'tcn-, gurstcii- 
(only in comp.), < AS. gcostran-, giestran-, gys- 
tran-, gi/rstiin- (only in comp., geostran-dieg, 
etc.) = \).gi'<ti'ren {dag van gistcr) = OH(i. gcstc- 
roH, gestre. MH(t. gcslern, grster, G. gestern, adv., 
yesterday (OHfi. e-gi-stcrn,<lnya,ftPT to-morrow, 
day before yesterday), =Goth. gisira (in gistni- 
dagis, to-morrow) = ]i. hrsterniis, of yesterday; 
with orig. corapar. suffix -tni, from a base (Tent. 
yes-) seen in Icel. gier, giir = Dan. gaar (in 
7019 
comp. gaarsdagen, igaar) = Sw. g&r = L. heri 
= Gr. xf^ii; = Skt. hyas, yesterday. Yester- prop, 
occurs only in comp., yesterday, -eve, -night, 
etc., where it represents an orig. adj. in the abl. 
or ace, agreeing with its noun,] Belonging to 
the day preceding the present; next before the 
present: used in the compounds given below, 
and rarely, by license, as a quasi-adjective. 
To love an enemy, the only one 
Remaining too, wlioni ytfster sun beheld 
Mustering her cliarms. 
Dryden, Don Sebastian, ii. 1. 
yesterday (yes'ter-da), adv. [Also dial, yister- 
day; < ME. yesterday, gifterdai, gnsterdai, gliis- 
tredai, gurstendai, < AS. geostrandieg, giestran- 
dseg, gystrandseg = D, gisteren dag, dag van gis- 
ter, yesterday, = Goth, gistradagis (found only 
once, in the alternative sense 'to-morrow'); = 
L. hesterno die, yesterday; as yester- -f rfn//l.] 
On the day preceding this day; on the day last 
past. 
The! seiden to hym, For [Fro] jisd'rdai in theseuentlie 
our the feuer lefte him. Wydif, John iv. 52. 
I saw him yesterday, or t* other day. 
Shak., Hamlet, ii. 1. 56. 
yesterday (yes'ter-da), ». [< yesterday, nrfc] 
The day last past; the day next before the 
present: often used figuratively for time not 
long gone by; time in the immediate past. 
We are but of yesterday, and know nothing. Job viii. 9. 
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to morrow, 
{'reepa in tliis petty pace from day tu day 
To tlie last syllable of recorded time, 
And all our yesterdays have liglitod fools 
The way to ilusty death. Shak., Macbetli, v. 5. 22. 
I love tu watch how the day, tired as it is, lags away 
reluctantly, and hates to be called yesterday so soon. 
Hawthorne, Seven Galiles, xiv. 
yestereve (yes'ttr-ev), adv. and n. [< ME. ?(.?- 
terncve; a later form o{ ycstereren.'] Same as 
yestereven. 
In hope that you would come here 
Yester-eve. B. Jonson, The Satyr. 
yestere'Ven (yes't^r-e'vti), adv. [< ME. yister- 
even, ^tuitiirevyn ; < yester- + cven^.'] On the 
evening of the day preceding the present. 
yestereven (yes'ter-e"vn), «. [< yestereven, 
nrfc] Tlie evening last past. 
And dim grows Alli's roof-sun 
(I'er yestereven's feast. 
William Morris, Sigurd, iv. 
yesterevening (yes't^r-ev'uing), n. [< ycster- 
+ evening.'] Same as yestereven. 
The Vill.age . . . Iiad been seized and fired 
Late on the yester-ecenin;/. 
Coteridije, Destiny of Nations. 
yesterfangt (yes'ttr-fang), n. [< yester- +fang.'] 
That which was taken, captured, or caught on 
the previous day or former occasion. 
Although niilians and infinite numbers of them [fish] l>e 
taken, yet on the next [day] tlicir insse will be so supplied 
witli new store that nothing shall l)e missing of the yes- 
terfanrj. 
BoethiuK, Descrip. of Scotland (tnans.), ix. (Holinshed s 
[Chron., I.). 
yestermorn (yes't^r-ra6rn), «. [< yester- + 
mum.'] The morn or morning before the pres- 
ent; the morning last past. Eowe. 
And a dozen segars are lingering yet 
< If the thousand of yestermorn. 
Ualleck, Epistles, etc. 
yes'termoming (yes'ter-mor'ning), n. [< yester- 
-t- morning.] Hame an yestermorn, 
yesternight (yes'ter-nit), adv. [< ME. ^ester- 
nirt.rislernist. gusternigt, yerstenenight ; < ycstcr- 
+ night.] On the uiglit last past. 
My lortl, I think I saw him yesternight. 
Shak,, Hamlet, i. 2. 189. 
I was invited yesternight to a solemn Supper. 
Howell, Letters, ii. 13. 
yesternight (yes'tdr-nit), n. [< yesternight, 
<idr.] The night last past. 
I saw their boats, with many a light. 
Floating tiie livelong yesternight. 
Scott, L. of the L., iv. 9. 
Come not as thou earnest of late. 
Flinging the gl(jom (»f yesternight 
On the wtiite day. Tennyson, Ode toMemory. 
yester-year (yes'ter-yer),;!. Last year. [Rare.] 
liut where arc the snows of yet.te.r-year .•' 
D. G. liossetti. Ballad of Dead Laiiies. 
yestreen (yes-tren'), adv. fContraete<l from 
yestereven.] Last evening; last night; yester- 
night. [Sootcli.] 
Tlie bridegroom may forget the bride. 
Was made his wed'Ie<i wife yestreen. 
Burns, Lainent for Glencairn. 
yestyt, "• An obsolete foi'm of yeasty. 
yet 
yet^ (yet), adv. and cnnj. [Also dial, yit; < ME, 
yet, get, git, < AS, git, get, giet, gyt, gita, geta 
= OFries, ieta, eta, ita, Fries, jiette = MliG. 
iezuo, ieze, G, ict^, now jetzt, &vcha,ic jetzo ; also 
MHG, ic^unt, G.jctzund, now ; origin uncertain ; 
the MHG, iezuo is appar. < ie, ever (or a foi'm 
cognate with AS. gc, and), -t- zno, to; but it 
may merely simulate zuo. For a similar case 
in which an orig. significant terminal syllable 
or independent word has probably been re- 
duced, see yes.] I. adv. 1. At or in the pres- 
ent time or juncture ; before something else ; 
at present; now: as, shall the deed be done 
yetf is it time yetf 
You have often 
Begun to tell me what I am. but stopp'd, . . . 
Concluding, "Stay : natyet." 
Shale, Tempest, i. 2. 37. 
He [Thales] was reputed one of the wise men that made 
answer to the question wlien a man should marry — "A 
young man, not yet ; an elder man, not at all." 
Bacon, .Marriage and Single Life (ed. 1887). 
2. In addition; over and above; in repetition; 
further; besides; still; even: used especially 
with comparatives. 
Yet more quarrelling with occasion ! 
Shak., M. of v., iii. 5. 60. 
Yet once more, O ye laurels, . . . 
I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude. 
Milton, Lycidas, 1. 1. 
3. Still, in continuance of a former state; at 
this or at that time, as formerly; now or then, 
as at a previous period. 
And it [Jaffa) was oon of the fyrst Cityes of the world 
ffounde by Japheth, Noes sonne, and bereth yett hys name. 
Torkington, Diarie of Eng. Traveil, p. 24. 
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for ug. Rom. v. S. 
I see him yet, the princely boy ! 
Scott, L. of the L., ii. 32. 
4. At or before some future time ; before all is 
done. 
Hope thou in God ; for I shall yet praise him. Ps. xlii. 11. 
He'll be hanged yet. 
Though every drop of water 
, . . gape ... to glut him. 
Shak., Tempest, i. 1. 61. 
5. Up to the present time ; thus far; hitherto; 
already: usually with a negative. 
The Holy Ghost was not yet given ; because that Jesus 
was not yet glorified. John vii. 39. 
Let me rememlier thee what thou hast promised. 
Which is not yet performed me. 
Shak., Tempest, i. 2. 244. 
Opportunity hath baulked them yet. 
B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, ii. 1. 
The Hand, not yet Britain but All)ion, was in a manner 
desert and inhospitable. Milton, Hist. Eng., i. 
Yet is often accompanied by as in this sense: as, I have 
not met him as yet. 
Unreconciled as yet to heaven. Shak., Othello, v. 2. 72. 
6. Though the case be such ; at least ; at any 
rate. 
Madam, if your heart be so obdurate. 
Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love. 
Shak., T. 0. of V., iv. 2. 121. 
An indiappy Francois who, after passing eighteen years 
in pr^^on, yet won the grace and love of Joan of Naples 
by his charms. J. A. Symonds, Italy and Greece, p. 330. 
Yet is sometimes used with adjectives or participles (with 
or without a iiyphen) to denote contiimance of tiic action 
or state, or as equivalent to still. 
He rose, and saw the fleM deform'd with blood, 
An empty space where late the coursers stood, 
Tlie j/c(-warm Thraciaiis panting on the coast. 
Pope, Iliad, x. 612. 
Lavaine 
Returning brought the yet-\mh\azoi\'(\ shield. 
Tennyson, Lancelot and Elaine. 
II. conj. 1. Nevertheless; notwithstanding. 
He restored the chief butler unto his Ijntlei'shipag.nin ; 
. . . iiet did not the chief Itutler remember Jnsepli, but 
forgathim. Gen. xl. 23. 
Blasted, and burnt, and blinded as I was, . , , 
O, yet mcthought I saw the Ili>ly Grail. 
Tennyson, Holv Grail. 
2. Though. 
I cannot speak to her, yet she urged confei-enee. 
Shak., As yon Like it, i. 2. 270. 
3. But. 
"No, no," quoth she, "sweet Death, I did but jest; 
Yet, pardon me, I felt a kind of fear." 
Sliak., Venus and Adonis, 1. 998. 
Many perished raviiig mad, fancying themselves swim- 
ming in boundless 8ea.s, yet unable to assuage their thirst. 
Ireing, Granada, p. 45. 
yet'^ (yet), v. t. [.Sc also yit ; < ME. yeien, getcn. 
< AS. gedtan, pour: see gush.] To melt; 
found; cast, as metal. [Obsolete or proviu- 
cial.] 
To je((; fundere, fusare. ('a*h. Aug., p. 426. 
;{efynge of metelle, as bellys. pannys, potys, and otiier 
lyke. Proinift. I'a}-v., p. 538. 
