yours
yours
Pronunciation
yours /jʊərz/
yours:
/jʊər/: the "your" sound, a diphthong followed by a rhotic approximant
/z/: the "z" sound
Word Form Variations
The word "yours" is a possessive pronoun and does not have singular or plural forms in the traditional sense, as it already indicates possession related to "you" (which can be singular or plural).
However, related word forms include:
You (personal pronoun, subject/object)
Your (possessive determiner/adjective)
Yourself (reflexive/intensive pronoun, singular)
Yourselves (reflexive/intensive pronoun, plural)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Pronoun
yours
Definition: Used to refer to something belonging to or associated with the person or people being addressed.
Example: "This book is yours."
Synonyms: your own, owned by you, belonging to you
Antonyms: mine, ours, his, hers, theirs
Definition: Used in polite formulas at the end of a letter or email, signifying a closing or expression of good wishes.
Example: "Sincerely yours," or "Truly yours."
Synonyms: respectfully, faithfully, sincerely
Antonyms: (Context-dependent, as this is a formulaic usage, direct antonyms are not typically used.)
Examples of Use
Books: "The Fault in Our Stars is yours to discover," (Goodreads description, July 2012).
Newspapers: "The decision on the future of the downtown development is ultimately yours, mayor says," (Local Herald, April 2024).
Online Publications: "Make this delicious weeknight meal yours with a few simple ingredient swaps," (Bon Appétit online, March 2023).
Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the movie Casablanca, Rick Blaine says, "Here's looking at you, kid," and later, "The problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, Ilsa. Someday you'll understand that. Here's looking at yours, kid," (Warner Bros. Pictures, November 1942).
Entertainment Platforms (Music): In the song "Yours" by Ella Henderson, the lyric goes, "I'm not gonna say I'm yours, but I'm yours for the taking," (Syco Music, October 2014).
General Public Discourse: "Is this seat yours?" (Common question asked when entering a crowded space).
General Public Discourse: "The future is yours to create." (Motivational phrase often heard in speeches).
General Public Discourse: "If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. The floor is yours." (Common phrase used to invite participation in a discussion).
10 Quotes Using Yours
"The world is yours for the taking." (Tony Montana, Scarface, 1983)
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings. For yours and my part, Cassius, I cannot tell what you and other men think of this life." (William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar)
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. It's yours for the making." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions. Make it yours." (Dalai Lama XIV)
"A crown, if it hurts us, is not worth wearing. It is yours, you have been chosen. Why do you hesitate?" (Queen Elizabeth I, Elizabeth, 1998)
"This land is yours and mine." (Woody Guthrie, "This Land Is Your Land", 1940)
"I am because you are. You are because I am. This life is yours and mine." (Ubuntu philosophy)
"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do. Make it yours." (Apple Inc., "Think Different" campaign, 1997)
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Make them yours." (Eleanor Roosevelt)
"If it's to be, it's up to me. The responsibility is yours." (William H. Johnsen)
Etymology
The word "yours" comes from a very old form of English, specifically Middle English, which was spoken between roughly 1150 and 1500. It's essentially "your" with an added "-s" at the end.
This "-s" ending wasn't always there for all possessive words. In Old English, the language before Middle English, possessive pronouns (like "your," "my," "his") had different forms depending on their role in the sentence.
However, over time, "yours" developed by following the pattern of other possessive words like "his" (which already had an "-s" sound). It also helped distinguish it from "your" when "your" was used before a noun (like "your book") versus when it stood alone (like "the book is yours").
The earliest known use of "yours" in this possessive sense, meaning "that which belongs to you," can be traced back to before 1250.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Yours
Yours truly: A common polite closing in letters; also used humorously or ironically to refer to oneself.
The pleasure is all yours: Said when someone thanks you for something, implying they benefited more or that you enjoyed doing it.
The ball is in yours: A less common but understandable variation of "the ball is in your court," meaning it's your turn to take action.
It's all yours: Indicating something is now available for someone to use or take.
Yours for the taking: Implies something is readily available and achievable if one chooses to pursue it.
Yours to command: A somewhat formal or antiquated phrase meaning one is at someone else's service.
Here's to yours: A toast or expression of good wishes directed at the person or their well-being.
Yours in faith/service/etc.: A common closing in formal or religious correspondence.
Make it yours: To personalize something or take ownership of a concept or task.
No fault of yours: Indicating that something negative that happened was not due to the person being addressed.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of yours from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
