▪ I. yo, int. (n.1)
(jəʊ)
Forms: 5 ȝo, io, ȝaw, 9 yo, yeo(h.
An exclamation of incitement, warning, etc. (also repeated). In nautical use = yoho. Occas. as n. and in vbl. n. yo-yoing.
| c 1420 Avow. Arth. vii. [To hounds], Ȝaw thar suche him no mare. c 1450 Mankind 450 in Macro Plays 17 Myscheff. How, New-gyse, Now-a-days! herke or I goo! When owur hedis wer to-gethere, I spake of ‘si dedero’. New-gyse. Ȝo! go þi wey! we xall gaþer mony on-to. c 1460 Towneley Myst. ii. 25 Io furth, greyn-horne! and war oute, gryme! 1772 Monthly Rev. XLII. 191/1 The scene was quite chang'd, 'twas no more yo, yo-ho. 1806 G. Pinckard Tour W. Indies III. 343 A string of negroes singing out in the sailors' cry—yeoh-yeoh, yeoh-yeoh, and hauling at a long rope. 1837 Dickens Pickw. ix, He was roused by a loud shouting of the post-boy on the leader. ‘Yo—yo—yo—yo—yoe,’ went the first boy. ‘Yo—yo—yo—yoe!’ went the second... And amidst the yo-yoing..the chaise stopped. 1839 Hood Storm at Hastings xiii, Sundry boatmen, that with quick yeo's, Lest it should blow,—were pulling up the Rose. 1859 Dickens T. Two Cities i. ii, Yo there! Stand! I shall fire! |
Add: 2. An exclamation used as a greeting, to express surprise, or to attract attention; hey! Also as a response to such a call. slang (orig. and chiefly U.S.).
| 1958 ‘W. Henry’ Seven Men at Mimbres Springs v. 57 ‘Let's get out of here Doc...!’ ‘Yo, Frank?’ queried the old man. ‘Get your teams hooked up again pronto.’ 1966 in Random House Dict. 1980 A. Tyler Morgan's Passing ii. ii. 37 ‘Fresco?’ he called. ‘Yo,’ Fresco said from the rear. 1984 InfoWorld 13 Aug. 80/3 ‘Have you heard the latest integrated product? It includes a Wolfdata modem, the Knowledgeman database, and Jack 2. It's called the Wolfman Jack.’ Yo! 1989 A. Walker Temple of my Familiar vi. 367 How could I say it? Yo, Hal, I was a white man. 1990 Independent 16 May 6/4 The Guardian Angels..applauded him with a meaty sound. Great fists, many gloved, bashed into each other. ‘Yo,’ they shouted, rather than anything English. |
▪ II. yo, n.2
(jəʊ)
Also yoe.
Repr. dial. (esp. U.S.) pronunc. of ewe n.1 Cf. yowe.
| 1891 Dialect Notes I. 71 Yo, ewe. 1899 B. W. Green Word-bk. Virginia Folk-Speech 434 Yoe, n.: yow, yeo; eow; yowe; a female sheep. ‘Breeding yoes & a Ramm.’ 1922 Blunden Shepherd 12 While each one came from the poor frightened yoes. 1946 Amer. Speech XXI. 98 [S. Illinois] Yo, ewe. |
▪ III. yo
[historically an obs. form of you]
in mod. use, repr. dial. pronunc. of you, your, esp. in Black English.
| 1848 Mrs. Gaskell Mary Barton I. vi. 90 Yo stop here, and I'll be back in half-an-hour. 1897 [see shoot v. 2 d]. 1931 W. Faulkner Sanctuary xxiv. 271 Minnie tapped at the door. ‘Here yo dinner.’ 1937 C. Himes Black on Black (1973) 139 Niggah, ef'n yo is talkin' tuh me, Ah ain' liss'nin'. 1969 R. Fair in A. Chapman New Black Voices (1972) 114 Oh, shut yo mouf up man. 1973 Black World June 61 Saturday nite take yo shoes off at the door. |