Sekirov Dictionary

they

/ˈðeɪ̯/

pronoun 9
determiner 2
noun 1
verb 1
forms 7
phrases 1

pronoun9

•
used before a verb to mean two or more people or things you have already talked about
- Fred and Jane? They just arrived.
- Dogs may bark if they want to be fed.
A single person, previously mentioned, whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or non-binary.
•
One whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or both.
- Somebody requested a seat at Friday's performance but didn't say if they preferred the balcony or the floor. [The gender is unknown and irrelevant.]
- I asked my friend if they wanted to come, but they said no. [The gender is known but irrelevant.]
•
One who is nonbinary.
- There is no need to panic. Robin should be here soon and they will know what to do. [Robin is nonbinary and uses singular they.]
•
People; some people; people in general; someone, excluding the speaker.
- They say it’s a good place to live.
- They didn’t have computers in the old days.
•
The authorities, the (power) elites, the powers that be, the establishment, the man, the system: government, police, employers, etc.
- They'll tax us for the air we breathe next.
- They should increase our wages.
The opponents of the side which is keeping score.
•
Honorific alternative letter-case form of of they, sometimes used when referring to gods or other important figures who are understood from context.
- Then raising Their hands, each god according to his sign, They made the worlds and the suns, and put a light in the houses of the sky. — 1905
•
(dialect, US) There (especially as an expletive subject of be).
- They’s music in the twitter of the bluebird and the jay. — 1889

determiner2

•
(dialect, US) Their.
- It's a shame to see someone talk so bad about the gays and lesbians in prison. She is brainwash to the fact that she think every gay and lesbian in prison is guilty of they crimes. — 1988
•
(dialect, nonstandard) The, those.
- They rooks as you see … only coom a few year agoo. — 1878

noun1

(informal, offensive) A non-binary person.

verb1

•
To refer to (someone, sometimes especially someone who does not use gender-neutral pronouns) using they/them pronouns.
- I have a pin that says she/her, but I still get theyed all the time.

forms

theyed · theying · theys · themself · themselves · their · theirs

Phrases with they

as they come
As it is possible to be.

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