yet
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /jɛt/
rhymes: -ɛt
Forms: form: yit
form: yitt
form: ytt
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English yet, yit, from Old English ġīet, gȳta, from Proto-West Germanic *jūta, from Proto-Germanic *juta (compare West Frisian jit, jitte (“yet”), Dutch ooit (“ever”), German jetzt (“now”)), compound of (1) *ju (“already”, adverb), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew-, accusative of *h₂óyu (“long time”) and (2) the Proto-Germanic *ta (“to, towards”), from Proto-Indo-European *do. More at aye and -th.
Senses: examples: text: I haven't finished yet.
text: Have you finished yet?
text: We do not yet know what happened.
text: He has never yet been late for an appointment.
glosses: Thus far; up to the present; up to some unspecified time.
In negative or interrogative use, often with an expectation or potential of something happening in the future.
examples: Don't switch it on yet – wait until I've reconnected the pump.
glosses: Thus far; up to the present; up to some unspecified time.
In negative imperative use, asking for an action to be delayed.
examples: text: He is yet breathing. (He is still breathing.)
text: They atteſt facts vvhich they had heard vvhile they vvere yet heathens, and had they not found reaſon to believe them, they vvould ſtill have continued heathens, and have made no mention of them in their vvritings.
ref: a. 1720 (date written), Joseph Addison, “Section III. The Providence of God.”, in The Evidences of the Christian Religion, […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], published 1730, →OCLC, subsection V, page 23:
glosses: Thus far; up to the present; up to some unspecified time.
In affirmative use: still.
examples: text: The riddle will be solved yet.
text: He'll be hanged yet.
ref: 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
glosses: At some future time; eventually.
examples: text: I’ve yet to see him. — I have not yet seen him.
text: I had yet to go to a convention. — I had not yet gone to a convention.
text: They are yet to win a single match. — They have not yet won a single match.
text: He seemed yet to be convinced. — He seemed not yet to have been convinced.
glosses: Not as of the time referenced.
raw_tags: after 'have' and certain copulative verbs
examples: text: There are two hours yet to go until our destination.
text: It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
ref: 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
text: After yet another missed penalty by Kvirikashvili from bang in front of the posts, England scored again, centre Tuilagi flying into the line and touching down under the bar.
ref: 2011 September 18, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia”, in BBC Sport:
glosses: In addition.
examples: text: K-2 is yet higher than this.
text: Oh no! Yet more problems!
text: Men may not too rashly believe the confessions of witches, nor yet the evidence against them.
ref: 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
qualifier: degree
glosses: Even.
Synonyms: sense: up to some specified time
word: even now
word: still
word: erenow
word: so far
word: to date
word: hitherto
word: formerly
sense: at some future time
word: at last
word: in time
word: sooner or later
word: eventually
word: subsequently
sense: not at the time referenced
word: still
sense: in addition
word: besides
word: further
word: moreover
word: additionally
sense: even
word: still
Derived terms: are we there yet
as of yet
as yet
as yet unknown
as-yet-unknown
just yet
not yet
power of yet
some time yet
there's life in the old dog yet