Meaning of they | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Honorific alternative letter-case form of of they, sometimes used when referring to gods or other important figures who are understood from context.
   alt-of, honorific
2. There (especially as an expletive subject of be).
   US, dialectal
3. A group of entities previously mentioned.
   nominative, plural, singular, sometimes, third-person, usually
4. plural of él (“they, them”)
5. (used only as the subject of a verb).
6. A single person, previously mentioned, whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or (since 20th c.) non-binary.
   nominative, plural, singular, sometimes, third-person, usually
7. Like other masculine words, masculine pronouns can be used when the gender of the subject is unknown or when the subject is plural and of mixed gender.
8. People; some people; people in general; someone, excluding the speaker.
   indefinite, nominative, plural, pronoun, singular, sometimes, third-person, usually
9. Used to refer to the ones previously mentioned or implied.
10. Treated as if it were third person for purposes of conjugation and reflexivity.
11. The authorities, the (power) elites, the powers that be, the establishment, the man, the system: government, police, employers, etc.
    indefinite, nominative, plural, pronoun, singular, sometimes, third-person, usually
12. Used to refer to the one previously mentioned or implied, especially as a substitute for generic he: Every person has rights under the law, but they don't always know them.
    he
13. If le or les precedes lo, la, los, or las in a clause, it is replaced with se (e.g. se lo dije instead of *le lo dije).
14. The opponents of the side which is keeping score.
    nominative, plural, singular, sometimes, third-person, usually
15. Used to refer to people in general.
16. Used primarily in Spain.
17. refers to people or things other than the speaker or people addressed: they fight among themselves.
18. refers to unspecified people or people in general not including the speaker or people addressed: in Australia they have Christmas in the summer.
19. not standard refers to an indefinite antecedent such as one, whoever, or anybody: if anyone objects, they can go.
    not standard
20. an archaic word for those: blessed are they that mourn.
21. nominative plural of he, she, and it.
22. people in general: They say he's rich.

Equivalents

Examples

“Fred and Jane? They just arrived.”

“Dogs may bark if they want⟳ to be fed.”

“Plants wilt if they are not watered.”

“I have⟳ a car and a truck, but they are both broken.”

“But this I say⟳, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have⟳ wives be as though they had none; And they that weep⟳, as though they wept not; And they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; And they that buy⟳, as though they possessed not; And they that use⟳ this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away”

“[…]purſued his vnneighbourly purpoſe in ſuch ſort: that hee being the ſtronger perſwader, and ſhe (belike) too credulous in beleeuing or elſe ouer-feeble in reſiſting, from priuate imparlance, they fell to action; and continued their cloſe fight⟳ a long while together, vnſeene and vvithout ſuſpition, no doubt⟳ to their equall ioy and contentment.”

“There is no reason⟳ to be scared of iguanas. They do not attack humans.”

“Somebody requested a seat at Friday's performance but didn't say⟳ if they preferred the balcony or the floor.”

“Who says they care? —He himself does.”

“If someone enters the restricted area, they are required to present⟳ identification.”

“I asked my friend if they wanted to come⟳, but they said no.”

“One of the boys tripped over, and they hit their head on the door.”

“Then shalt thou bring⟳ forth that man, or that woman (which haue committed that wicked thing) vnto thy gates, euen that man, or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones till they die⟳.”

“Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione.”

“One thing a nominee earns is the right to pick⟳ the vice president that they think⟳ will best reflect⟳ their vision of the country, and I am just glad I will have⟳ nothing to do with it.”

“The boycott, led by Elisha Lim, of a Toronto gay and lesbian newspaper after it refused to use⟳ their preferred pronoun ["they"], citing grammar considerations, inspired me.”

“I'm angry that we're here again, that we have⟳ had to tell⟳ another mother that their child is dead.”

“Ever since El Martinez started asking to be called by the gender-neutral pronouns “they/them” in the ninth grade, they have⟳ fielded skepticism in a variety of forms and from a multitude of sources about what it means to identify⟳ as nonbinary.”

“They say⟳ it’s a good place⟳ to live⟳.”

“They didn’t have⟳ computers in the old days.”

“They don't make⟳ 'em like⟳ they used to.”

“Always get⟳ a second source, they tell⟳ us in investigative lexicography;[…]”

“I am beautiful, no matter⟳ what they say⟳”

“Hurtling through the air that evening in seat 10C, I read⟳ the US House committee’s Max investigation, a disruptor of illusions. Like⟳ many fliers, I’d long ago made my bargain with risk⟳. I’d taken comfort in statistics, summoned faith in the engineers and assembly workers, the pilots, the system. I’d shunted away the knowledge—paralyzing, if you let⟳ it in—that stepping on an airplane is an extraordinary act of trust⟳. Deep in the report⟳, I reached the part about a senior manager at Boeing’s factory in Renton, a guy named Ed Pierson, who seemingly knew what we all know⟳ when we soothe ourselves by thinking, They wouldn’t let⟳ it fly⟳ if it weren’t safe. We’re all relying on someone to be the “they.””

“They'll tax us for the air we breathe⟳ next.”

“They should increase⟳ our wages.”

“Ha, you believe⟳ the moon is real? That's just what they want⟳ you to think⟳.”

“They’s music in the twitter of the bluebird and the jay.”

“MARY ELLEN is a different case from the others. She has five children and, she claims: "I don't know⟳ who they father is. I ain't never kept track. They is always another one. You know⟳, I can catch⟳ me a guy[.]"”

“They ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.”

“But they ain’t nothin’ in there you didn’t already have⟳.”

“Well, they’s a lot of ‘em didn’t survive⟳, if you believe⟳ me.”

“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.”

“The question⟳ arises in a practical way in two possible situations: either ‘here is Mr. A: he wants to do some research⟳ and has a grant of so much for X years’: or ‘here is a problem: They (capital T, please⟳) want⟳ us to do research⟳ about it and are prepared to pay⟳ £X over a period of X years’. Of course these problems are not for the entrepreneur separate⟳: if he can promote⟳ an association between Mr. A and Them he has to that extent stabilised and regularised his business.”

“God is used as the mouthpiece of the parent. You come⟳ to feel⟳ that you can never be good enough or perfect enough in their eyes or in God’s. Even when you start⟳ to think⟳ for yourself, you have⟳ the dim fear that They (capital T) are right.”

“They (capital T) are saying that while Saddam was not at all a good idea it was very bad that we were in the Gulf at all – latest was a bearded Canuck who did me for their TV this morning.”

“Succinctly stated, your story is that nameless men from a faceless organization want⟳ to kill⟳ you for reasons which you cannot fathom. You’ve done nothing. You are an innocent and blameless man. But They—capital ‘T’ They—want⟳ you dead.”

CEFR level