we

[ wee ]
See synonyms for: weourus on Thesaurus.com

plural pronoun,possessive our or ours,objective us.
  1. nominative plural of I.

  2. (used to denote oneself and another or others): We have two children. In this block we all own our own houses.

  1. (used to denote people in general): the marvels of science that we take for granted.

  2. (used to indicate a particular profession, nationality, political party, etc., that includes the speaker or writer): We in the medical profession have moral responsibilities.

  3. Also called the royal we. (used by a sovereign, or by other high officials and dignitaries, in place of I in formal speech): We do not wear this crown without humility.

  4. Also called the editorial we. (used by editors, writers, etc., to avoid the too personal or specific I or to represent a collective viewpoint): As for this column, we will have nothing to do with shady politicians.

  5. you (used familiarly, often with mild condescension or sarcasm, as in addressing a child, a patient, etc.): We know that's naughty, don't we? It's time we took our medicine.

  6. (used in the predicate following a copulative verb): It is we who should thank you.

  7. (used in apposition with a noun, especially for emphasis): We Americans are a sturdy lot.

Origin of we

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English wē; cognate with Dutch wij, German wir, Old Norse vēr, Gothic weis

Words Nearby we

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use we in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for we

we

/ (wiː) /


pronoun(subjective)
  1. refers to the speaker or writer and another person or other people: we should go now

  2. refers to all people or people in general: the planet on which we live

    • when used by editors or other writers, and formerly by monarchs, a formal word for I 1

    • (as noun): he uses the royal we in his pompous moods

  1. informal used instead of you with a tone of persuasiveness, condescension, or sarcasm: how are we today?

Origin of we

1
Old English wē, related to Old Saxon wī, Old High German wir, Old Norse vēr, Danish, Swedish vi, Sanskrit vayam

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012