you

[[t]yu[/t]] unstressed [[t]yʊ, yə[/t]]

pron. poss. your yours,

1) the pronoun of the second person singular or plural, used of the person or persons being addressed, in the nominative or objective case:

You are the highest bidder. We can't help you[/ex]

2) one; anyone; people in general:

a tiny animal you can't even see[/ex]

3) (used in apposition with the subject of a sentence, sometimes repeated for emphasis):

You rascal, you![/ex]

4) (used in place of the pronoun your before a gerund or present participle):

There's no sense in you getting upset[/ex]

5) archaic

a) yourself; yourselves

b) a pl. form of the pronoun ye I

6) something identified with or resembling the person addressed:

That bright red shirt just isn't you[/ex]

7) the nature or character of the person addressed:

Try to discover the hidden you[/ex]

•

Etymology: bef. 900; ME; OE ēow (dat., acc. of gē ye I), c. OFris ju, OS iu, OHG iu, eu usage: In American English the pronoun you has been supplemented by additional forms to make clear the distinction between singular and plural. you-all, often pronounced as one syllable, is a widespread spoken form in the South Midland and Southern United States. Its possessive is often you-all's rather than your. you-uns (from you+ones) is a South Midland form; it is being replaced by you-all . youse (you+ the plural -s ending of nouns), probably of Irish-American origin, is most common in the North, esp. in urban centers like Boston, New York, and Chicago. Both you-uns and youse are considered nonstandard. See also guy I