What does "ye" mean?
Ye: This would cost you your life in case ye were a man. Udall. Note: In Old English ye was used only as a nominative, and you only as a dative or objective. In the 16th century, however, ye and you became confused and were often used interchangeably, both as nominatives and objectives, and you has now superseded ye except in solemn or poetic use. See You, and also the first Note under Thou. Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye. Shak. I come, kind gentlemen, strange news to tell ye. Dryden.
Additional senses
- 2.Yea; yes. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00