yous

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See also: you's

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From you +‎ -s (plural suffix).

Pronunciation

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Pronoun

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yous (dialectal)

  1. (in the plural) You. [from 19th c.]
    What are yous up to tonight?
  2. (in the singular, colloquial) You.
    • 1909, PG Wodehouse, The Gem Collector:
      ‘Dere ain't no use for me dis side, Mr. Chames,’ he said. ‘New York's de spot. Youse don't want none of me, now you're married.’
    • 1938, Patrick Kavanagh, The Green Fool:
      Yous will meet us here outside this pub,’ Harry Curniskey said.
    • 1988, Kathy Lette, Girls' Night Out:
      ‘But what I also seen is that youse have never had a real man before, datin' all them boys. Youse have never had anyone who'd stand up to youse.’
    • 1992, Edward Bond, In the Company of Men:
      You think yous can live wi'oot money! Few months doon this hell, you'll murder for money!
    • 2010, Peter Corris, Torn Apart, Allen and Unwin, page 81:
      He tossed off half of the drink and I gave him a refill. "What can I do for youse?" "First off, information."

Usage notes

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Synonyms

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  • See the list of other second-person pronouns at you

Determiner

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yous

  1. (dialect) The group spoken or written to.
    What are yous kids doin?
    • 2015 June 1, Geoffrey Hope Gibson, Matriarch: An Australian Novel of Love and Wa, Loving Healing Press, →ISBN, page 68:
      “Heh, yous kids want a game?” “Dunno, suppose so.” “Dar and I versus yous; that's fair.” “Short kicks Ern, we hang on to the ball and let them do the chasing.” “You watch me take the marks Dar; them blokes won't know what hit them.”

Noun

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yous

  1. plural of you
    • 1992, Robert Dubin, Central Life Interests: Creative Individualism in a Complex World, page 10:
      Most of your life after babyhood has been played out by the several yous.
    • 2010, Patrick M Morley, The Man in the Mirror: Solving the 24 Problems Men Face, page 36:
      There are two yous — the visible you and the real you. The visible you is the you that is known by others.

Verb

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yous

  1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of you.

References

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  1. ^ James Lambert The Macquarie Australian Slang Dictionary (Sydney: Macquarie Library) 2004, page 222.