English Words: Y

2,763 words · Page 41 of 56

yottatonnoun

A measure of the strength of an explosion or a bomb, based on how many septillion tons of TNT would be needed to produce the same energy.

yotzeiadj

having fulfilled the requirements of a mitzvah

youpron

The people spoken, or written to, as an object.

you ain't seen nothing yetphrase

There's more where that came from; what you have seen so far is only the beginning. Used to inform the listener that they should expect further surprises, and that the speaker has only just begun doing something.

you allpron

All of you; plural form of you, including everyone being addressed.

you alrightphrase

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see are, you, alright.

you and whose armyphrase

Used in response to someone’s threat suggesting that the person in question cannot do what they say alone.

you and yoursnoun

Yourself and your family or loved ones, usually in salutations.

you are welcomephrase

Alternative form of you're welcome.

you are what you eatproverb

Personal health and wellbeing is determined by one's eating habits, in both positive and negative ways.

you ask me, I ask whophrase

I don't know, how should I know

you attract more flies with honey than vinegarproverb

Alternative form of you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

you betintj

Expresses support, agreement, certainty or emphasis.

you break it, you buy itproverb

If you damage, harm or destroy something, you are responsible for repairing it or accepting the consequences.

you buy cheap, you get cheapproverb

Inexpensive goods and services tend to be inferior to more expensive ones.

you call thisphrase

Used to indicate that something is unsatisfactory, inadequate, substandard.

you can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ridephrase

You can't escape the inconvenience and/or cost of the legal process even if you are innocent and the charges are ultimately dropped or you get acquitted.

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make her drinkproverb

Alternative form of you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drinkproverb

Alternative form of you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

you can't be half pregnantproverb

Said of an either-or situation; there are only two available choices.

you can't catch old birds with chaffproverb

The wisest and the most experienced cannot be easily deceived.

you can't fight City Hallproverb

Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision or a similarly institutional decision (e.g., high-level corporate, senior military brass, dominant cultural norm).

you can't get a quart into a pint potproverb

You cannot fit a large object or amount in something smaller.

you can't go home againproverb

Past times which are fondly remembered are irrecoverably in the past and cannot be relived.

you can't keep a good man downproverb

A person who has talent, resolve, or moral strength will eventually succeed despite having been overlooked, injured, or defeated.

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's earproverb

It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggsproverb

In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some mistakes are made or some sacrifices must occur.

you can't make this stuff upphrase

The reality is so bizarre, ironic, or comically coincidental as to be unbelievable.

you can't pour from an empty cupproverb

In order to be able to provide other people with emotional support, one must take care of one's own mental health.

you can't put an old head on young shouldersnoun

Young people inevitably lack the experience and wisdom which come with age.

you can't put the toothpaste back in the tubeproverb

Once something is said or done, it cannot be unsaid or undone.

you can't say fairer than thatphrase

That is fair, good, or reasonable; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.

you can't step in the same river twiceproverb

It is not possible to repeat past experiences, as time changes all things.

you can't take it with youproverb

It is not possible to take one's material wealth or possessions to whatever world may await one after death.

you can't teach an old dog new tricksproverb

It is impossible to change people's habits, traits, or mindset.

you can't turn a hoe into a housewifeproverb

A sexually promiscuous woman is not a suitable candidate for a committed housewife.

you cannot put the same shoe on every footproverb

A method or technique that works in one situation does not necessarily work in all situations.

you could cut the atmosphere with a knifephrase

Used to describe a situation that is extremely tense, heavy, or full of strong emotion.

you do youintj

Do whatever you want to do.

you don't dip your pen in company inkproverb

One should avoid romantic or sexual relationships in the workplace.

you don't get something for nothingproverb

One cannot expect to receive some benefit if one does not pay for it in some way or does not face a counterbalancing hazard or harm.

you don't know where it's beenphrase

An object encountered in an unfamiliar place (such as outdoors) could be dirty or contaminated by germs, and should therefore not be handled through bodily contact. Chiefly said to command children not to interact with foreign objects.

you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blowsproverb

One does not require an expert to tell one what one already knows.

you don't sayintj

Really?; no kidding!; is that so? (sometimes used sarcastically in response to the obvious)

you galspron

You (plural).

you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word aloneproverb

It is advantageous not to rely solely on being nice to others.

you get thatphrase

That's a normal occurrence; that's typical.

you get what you pay forproverb

In commercial transactions, the prices increase, as the quality of goods and services increases, i.e., the more one pays, the higher-quality the merchandise.

you go, girlintj

An expression of encouragement, chiefly for a girl or woman.

you got a mouse in your pocketphrase

Used as a response to statements starting with "we," usually indicating the speaker does not want to be involved in the interlocutor's statements.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English alphabetical index for the letter Y contains 2,763 headwords drawn from our Wiktionary-derived dictionary table. At 50 entries per page the browse splits into 56 pages, and you are currently viewing page 41. Every row above is a dictionary-backed entry with a canonical slug, and each links through to a full definition page with pronunciation, senses, etymology, and related-word data where available.

On this page 50 of 50 entries carry a part-of-speech tag and 50 carry at least one stored definition. Coverage varies across letters because Wiktionary volunteers build entries at different speeds for different parts of the alphabet, letters with common starting sounds (S, C, T, P) usually have the densest coverage, while less frequent starters (X, Q, Z) tend to have shorter but more specialised lists. PlainSpell surfaces whatever data is present and links back to the source when a definition is not yet recorded.

For readers using this index as a spelling reference, the guarantee is that every form you see on the list is a documented English headword, not a guess, not a derived inflection lacking a lemma row. If a word you expected to find is absent from the "Y" list, it usually means the form exists only as an inflection of another lemma (e.g. a past participle stored under the infinitive) or the entry has not yet been imported from Wiktionary. Use the search bar or the misspelling lookup to resolve these cases.