yield
To produce a result; or to give way and let others pass.
Word facts
Definition
To yield means to produce or provide a result or crop. It also means to give way, surrender, or allow someone else to go first. As a noun, a yield is the amount produced.
Usage: Yield has two main meanings: to produce (the field yields wheat) and to give way (yield to pressure). Unyielding means firm and refusing to give way.
Example sentences
- 1
The orchard yields over two hundred kilograms of apples each autumn.
- 2
Please yield to pedestrians at the crossing.
- 3
The experiment yielded some surprising results.
Word family
From Old English gieldan ('to pay, reward, produce'). The original sense was to pay or give back. Both the 'produce' and 'give way' meanings descend from this.
Yield to traffic: let others come first. Yield in farming: what the land gives back. Both meanings involve giving something.
Explore this word in Word Lab
FAQ
Questions people ask
What does 'yield to traffic' mean?
It means to allow other vehicles or pedestrians to go first — to give them the right of way.
What is a crop yield?
A crop yield is the amount of produce harvested from a given area of land. High yield means a lot was produced.