they

they
they c.1200, from O.N. þeir, originally masculine plural demonstrative pronoun, from P.Gmc. *thai, nom. pl. pronoun, from PIE *to- (see THAT (Cf. that)). Gradually replaced O.E. hi, hie, plurals of he, heo, hit (see HE (Cf. he), SHE (Cf. she), IT (Cf. it)) by c.1400. Colloquial use for "anonymous people in authority" is attested from 1886.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • They — ([th][=a]), pron. pl.; poss. {Theirs}; obj. {Them}. [Icel. [thorn]eir they, properly nom. pl. masc. of s[=a], s[=u], [thorn]at, a demonstrative pronoun, akin to the English definite article, AS. s[=e], se[ o], [eth][ae]t, nom. pl. [eth][=a]. See… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • they — pronoun, plural in construction Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse their, masculine plural demonstrative & personal pronoun; akin to Old English thæt that Date: 13th century 1. a. those ones used as third person pronoun serving as the… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • they'd — Date: 1599 they had ; they would …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • they'll — Date: 1567 they will ; they shall …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • they — See: LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • they — See: LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • They — He He (h[=e]), pron. [nom. {He}; poss. {His} (h[i^]z); obj. {Him} (h[i^]m); pl. nom. {They} ([th][=a]); poss. {Their} or {Theirs} ([th][^a]rz or [th][=a]rz); obj. {Them} ([th][e^]m).] [AS. h[=e], masc., he[ o], fem., hit, neut.; pl. h[=i], or hie …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • They — She She, pron. [sing. nom. {She}; poss. {Her}. or {Hers}; obj. {Her}; pl. nom. {They}; poss. {Their}or {Theirs}; obj. {Them}.] [OE. she, sche, scheo, scho, AS. se[ o], fem. of the definite article, originally a demonstrative pronoun; cf. OS. siu …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • they're — Date: circa 1595 they are …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • they've — Date: 1611 they have …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • They Call Me Trinity — (Lo chiamavano Trinità) They Call Me Trinity DVD cover Directed by E.B. Clucher Produced by Italo Zingarelli …   Wikipedia

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