1 N‑UNCOUNT Yoga is a type of exercise in which you move your body into various positions in order to become more fit or flexible, to improve your breathing, and to relax your mind.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Yoga is a philosophy which first developed in India, in which physical exercises and meditation are believed to help people to become calmer and united in spirit with God.
yo|ghurt /jɒ gə r t, [AM ] joʊ -/ → see yogurt
yogi /joʊ gi/ (yogis ) N‑COUNT A yogi is a person who has spent many years practising the philosophy of yoga, and is considered to have reached an advanced spiritual state.
yo|gurt /jɒ gə r t, [AM ] joʊ -/ (yogurts ) also yoghurt N‑VAR Yogurt is a food in the form of a thick, slightly sour liquid that is made by adding bacteria to milk. A yogurt is a small pot of yogurt.
yoke /joʊ k/ (yokes , yoking , yoked )
1 N‑SING [adj N ] If you say that people are under the yoke of a bad thing or person, you mean they are forced to live in a difficult or unhappy state because of that thing or person. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] People are still suffering under the yoke of slavery.
2 N‑COUNT A yoke is a long piece of wood which is tied across the necks of two animals such as oxen, in order to make them walk close together when they are pulling a plough.
3 VERB If two or more people or things are yoked together , they are forced to be closely linked with each other. □ [V n together ] The introduction attempts to yoke the pieces together. □ [V n + to/into ] They want their own currency instead of being yoked into someone else's monetary system. □ [be V -ed] Farmers and politicians are yoked by money and votes.
yo|kel /joʊ k ə l/ (yokels ) N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a yokel , you think they are uneducated and stupid because they come from the countryside. [DISAPPROVAL ]
yolk /joʊ k/ (yolks ) N‑VAR The yolk of an egg is the yellow part in the middle. □ Only the yolk contains cholesterol. □ …buttered toast dipped in egg yolk.
YOLO /joʊ loʊ/ YOLO is the written and sometimes spoken abbreviation for 'you only live once', used to say that people should do exciting things and enjoy life. [INFORMAL ]
Yom Kip|pur /jɒ m k I pʊə r / N‑UNCOUNT Yom Kippur is the religious holiday when Jewish people do not eat, but say prayers asking to be forgiven for the things they have done wrong. It is in September or October.
yon /jɒ n/
1 DET Yon is an old-fashioned or dialect word for 'that' or 'those'. □ Don't let yon dog nod off.
2 hither and yon → see hither
yon|der /jɒ ndə r / ADV [ADV with v] Yonder is an old-fashioned or dialect word for 'over there'. □ Now look yonder, just beyond the wooden post there.
yonks /jɒ ŋks/ N‑PLURAL Yonks means a very long time. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …the most wonderful club I've been to for yonks.
yore /jɔː r / PHRASE Of yore is used to refer to a period of time in the past. [JOURNALISM , LITERARY ] □ The images provoked strong surges of nostalgia for the days of yore.
York|shire pud|ding /jɔː r kʃə r pʊ d I ŋ/ (Yorkshire puddings ) N‑VAR Yorkshire pudding is a British food which is made by baking a thick liquid mixture of flour, milk, and eggs. It is often eaten with roast beef.
you ◆◆◆ /juː/ You is the second person pronoun. You can refer to one or more people and is used as the subject of a verb or the object of a verb or preposition. 1 PRON A speaker or writer uses you to refer to the person or people that they are talking or writing to. It is possible to use you before a noun to make it clear which group of people you are talking to. □ When I saw you across the room I knew I'd met you before. □ You two seem very different to me. □ I could always talk to you about anything in the world. □ What is alternative health care? What can it do for you? □ What you kids need is more exercise.
2 PRON In spoken English and informal written English, you is sometimes used to refer to people in general. □ Getting good results gives you confidence. □ In those days you did what you were told.
you'd /juːd/
1 You'd is the usual spoken form of 'you had', especially when 'had' is an auxiliary verb. □ I think you'd better tell us why you're asking these questions.
2 You'd is the usual spoken form of 'you would'. □ With your hair and your beautiful skin, you'd look good in red and other bright colors.
you'll /juːl/ You'll is the usual spoken form of 'you will'. □ Promise me you'll take very special care of yourself. □ I think you'll find everything you need here.
young ◆◆◆ /jʌ ŋ/ (younger /jʌ ŋgə r /, youngest /jʌ ŋgəst/)
1 ADJ A young person, animal, or plant has not lived or existed for very long and is not yet mature. □ In Scotland, young people can marry at 16. □ …a field of young barley. □ He played with his younger brother. ● N‑PLURAL The young are people who are young. □ The association is advising pregnant women, the very young and the elderly to avoid such foods.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use young to describe a time when a person or thing was young. □ In her younger days my mother had been a successful fashionwear saleswoman.
3 ADJ Someone who is young in appearance or behaviour looks or behaves as if they are young. □ [+ for ] I was twenty-three, I suppose, and young for my age.
4 N‑PLURAL The young of an animal are its babies. □ The hen may not be able to feed its young.