Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

yours ◆◇◇ /jɔ ː ^r z, jʊə ^r z/ Yours is the second person possessive pronoun. Yours can refer to one or more people. 1 PRON A speaker or writer uses yours to refer to something that belongs or relates to the person or people that they are talking or writing to. □  I'll take my coat upstairs. Shall I take yours, Roberta? □  I believe Paul was a friend of yours. □  If yours is a high-stress job, it is important that you learn how to cope.

2 CONVENTION People write yours , yours sincerely , or yours faithfully at the end of a letter before they sign their name. □  With best regards, Yours, George. □  Yours faithfully, Michael Moore, London Business School.

3yours truly → see truly

your|self ◆◆◇ /jɔː ^r se lf, jʊə ^r -/ (yourselves ) Yourself is the second person reflexive pronoun. 1 PRON A speaker or writer uses yourself to refer to the person that they are talking or writing to. Yourself is used when the object of a verb or preposition refers to the same person as the subject of the verb. □  Have the courage to be honest with yourself and about yourself. □  Your baby depends on you to look after yourself properly while you are pregnant. □  Treat yourselves to a massage to help you relax at the end of the day.

2 PRON You use yourself to emphasize the person that you are referring to. [EMPHASIS ] □  They mean to share the business between them, after you yourself are gone, Sir. □  I've been wondering if you yourselves have any idea why she came.

3 PRON You use yourself instead of 'you' for emphasis or in order to be more polite when 'you' is the object of a verb or preposition. [POLITENESS ] □  A wealthy man like yourself is bound to make an enemy or two along the way.

4by yourself → see by

youth ◆◆◇ /juː θ/ (youths /juː ðz/)

1 N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] Someone's youth is the period of their life during which they are a child, before they are a fully mature adult. □  In my youth my ambition had been to be an inventor. □  …the comic books of my youth.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Youth is the quality or state of being young. □  Gregory was still enchanted with Shannon's youth and joy and beauty. □  The team is now a good mixture of experience and youth.

3 N‑COUNT Journalists often refer to young men as youths , especially when they are reporting that the young men have caused trouble. □  …gangs of youths who broke windows and looted shops.

4 N‑PLURAL [usu with poss] The youth are young people considered as a group. □ [+ of ] He represents the opinions of the youth of today.

you th club (youth clubs ) N‑COUNT A youth club is a club where young people can go to meet each other and take part in various leisure activities. Youth clubs are often run by a church or local authority. □  …the youth club disco.

youth|ful /juː θfʊl/ ADJ Someone who is youthful behaves as if they are young or younger than they really are. □  I'm a very youthful 50. □  …youthful enthusiasm and high spirits.

you th hos|tel (youth hostels ) N‑COUNT A youth hostel is a place where people can stay cheaply when they are travelling.

you th work|er (youth workers ) N‑COUNT A youth worker is a person whose job involves providing support and social activities for young people, especially young people from poor backgrounds. [mainly BRIT ]

you've /juːv/ You've is the usual spoken form of 'you have', especially when 'have' is an auxiliary verb. □  Now you've got your degree, what will you do? □  Many of the fruits you've tasted on your holidays can be found in supermarkets.