yours

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Pronoun 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Translations 1.3.4 See also

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

(Verification for this etymology is sought):From your + ’s.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /jɔː(ɹ)z/, SAMPA: /jO:(r)z/

  Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)z

• (US) enPR: yôrz, IPA: /jɔːɹz/, SAMPA: /jO:rz/

   Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)z

• Homophones: yaws (in non-rhotic accents)

[edit] Pronoun

yours

1. That which belongs to you; the possessive second person pronoun used without a following noun.

   If this edit is mine, the other must be yours.

   Their encyclopedia is good, but yours is even better.

   It’s all yours.

2. Written at the end of a letter, before the signature.

   Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully, Yours, Sincerely yours

[edit] Usage notes

• In British English the adverb almost invariably follows the word yours at the end of a letter; in American English it usually precedes it. As a general rule, sincerely is only employed if the name of the recipient is already known to the writer; a letter begun with Dear Sir or Dear Madam finishes with faithfully. Yours on its own and yours ever are less formal than the other forms.

[edit] Derived terms

• up yours
• what's yours
• yours truly
• you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

[edit] Translations

[edit] See also

• thine
• you
• your