| yielding |
easily bent, esp. under pressure; flexible. [2 definitions] |
| yikes |
a mild expression of fear, endangerment, or apprehension. |
| yin |
(sometimes cap.) in Chinese dualistic philosophy, the dark, negative, passive, feminine force in the universe and in individual beings. (Cf. yang.) |
| yip |
to bark quickly and sharply, as a puppy does. [2 definitions] |
| yippee |
used to express joy, elation, or triumph. |
| Yippie |
(informal; often l.c.) any of a loosely organized group of student activists and others who in the 196s rallied in opposition to the Vietnam War. |
| -yl |
a chemical group or radical. |
| YMCA |
abbreviation of "Young Men's Christian Association." |
| YMHA |
abbreviation of "Young Men's Hebrew Association." |
| yod |
the name of the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. |
| yodel |
to sing or call out with frequent, abrupt changes so that the voice fluctuates between the natural chest voice and a falsetto. [2 definitions] |
| yoga |
(often cap.) a Hindu discipline involving a system of physical and mental exercises to free the self from the body and mind, esp. performed to achieve spiritual peace. [2 definitions] |
| yogi |
a person who practices the Hindu discipline of yoga. |
| yogurt |
a slightly acidic custardlike food that is made from curdled milk and often flavored or sweetened with fruit. |
| yo-heave-ho |
formerly used by sailors as they hauled or lifted together. |
| yoke |
a device used to join together a pair of draft animals, usu. comprising a crossbar with two U-shaped loops, each fitted around the head of an animal. [9 definitions] |
| yokel |
a simple, naive, or foolish country person. |
| yolk |
the yellow nutritive substance in an egg, consisting of protein and fat, that is involved directly in the formation of the embryo. |
| yolk sac |
a membranous sac that nourishes the embryos of primitive mammals, bony fishes, sharks, reptiles, and birds. [2 definitions] |
| Yom Kippur |
the Jewish Day of Atonement, observed as a day of fasting, prayer, and repentance on the tenth day of Tishri, and regarded as the holiest day in the religious calendar. |
| yonder |
(informal) somewhat distant but usu. within sight. [2 definitions] |