yet

yet¹ W1S1 [jet] adv

[: Old English; Origin: giet]

1.)

a) used in negative statements and questions to talk about whether something that was expected has happened

▪ I haven't asked him yet (=but I will) .

▪ Has Edmund arrived yet?

▪ 'Have you finished your homework?' ' Not yet .'

b) used in negative statements and questions to talk about whether a situation has started to exist

▪ 'How are you going to get there?' 'I don't know yet.'

▪ Women didn't yet have the vote (=at that time) .

▪ 'Is supper ready?' 'No, not yet .'

2.) used in negative sentences to say that someone should not or need not do something now, although they may have to do it later

▪ You can't give up yet!

▪ Don't go yet. I like talking to you.

3.) used to emphasize that something is even more than it was before or is in addition to what existed before

= ↑still

yet more/bigger/higher etc

▪ He got a call from the factory, telling of yet more problems.

▪ Inflation had risen to a yet higher level.

▪ yet another reason to be cautious

▪ The meeting has been cancelled yet again (=one more time after many others) .

4.) the biggest/worst etc (sth) yet

used to say that something is the biggest, worst etc of its kind that has existed up to now

▪ This could turn out to be our biggest mistake yet.

▪ Nordstrom's latest novel looks like his best yet.

5.) as (of) yet

used when saying that something has not happened up to now

▪ We've had no luck as yet.

▪ on an as yet undecided date

6.) months/weeks/ages yet

used to emphasize how much time will pass before something happens, or how long a situation will continue

▪ 'When's your holiday?' 'Oh, not for ages yet.'

▪ It could be months yet before they know their fate.

7.) could/may/might yet do sth

used to say that something is still possible in the future, in spite of the way that things seem now

▪ We may win yet.

▪ The plan could yet succeed.

8.) sb/sth has yet to do sth

formal used to say that someone has not done something, or that something has not happened when you think it should already have been done or have happened

▪ I have yet to hear Ray's version of what happened.

▪ The bank has yet to respond to our letter.

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GRAMMAR

In spoken English, yet usually comes at the end of the clause : I haven't finished my homework yet. | We don't know whether she'll come yet.

It can also come after 'don't', 'hasn't' etc, or before 'why', 'whether' etc : They don't yet know the full facts. |I haven't decided yet whether to take part in the competition.

In writing or more formal speech, yet can come after 'not' : We do not yet have a solution to this problem.

WORD CHOICE: yet, still, already

Yet is used to say that something has not happened or a situation has not started to exist, or to ask if something has happened : It isn't time to go yet. | Have you seen him yet?

Still is used to say that an earlier situation has not changed : My parents were still asleep (NOT yet asleep). | I still don't understand.

Already is used to emphasize that something has happened or a situation has started to exist : He had already published two novels. |They already knew one another.

It is also used in questions to show surprise that something has happened sooner than expected : Have you been there already?

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yet ²

yet² conj

used to introduce a fact, situation, or quality that is surprising after what you have just said

▪ Kelly was a convicted criminal, yet many people admired him.

▪ She does not speak our language and yet she seems to understand what we say.

▪ a story that is strange yet true

▪ an inexpensive yet effective solution to our problem