1562. Bulleyn, Booke of Simples, xxviii. verso. If there be any yonkers troubled with idelnesse and loytryng.
1584. Holinshed, Conquest of Ireland. Such young novices and yonkers as are of late gone thither.
1593. Tom Tel-Troth's Message, 601. This trull makes youngsters spend their patrimonie In sauced meates and sugred delicates.
1594. Barnefield, Affectionate Shepherd. Yet such sheep he kept, and was so seemelie a shepheard, Seemelie a boy, so seemelie a youth, so seemelie a younker, That on Ide was not such a boy, such a youth, such a younker.
1594. Greene, Friar Bacon, etc., 175. Now lusty younkers, look within the glass, And tell me if you can discern your sires.
1595. Shakspeare, 3 Henry VI., ii. 1. How well resembles it the prime of youth, Trimm'd like a yonker, prancing to his love. Ibid. (1598), Merchant Venice, ii. 6. How, like a younker, and a prodigal, The skarfed bark puts from her native bay. Ibid. (1598), 1 Henry IV., iii. 3. What, will you make a younker of me? Shall I not take mine ease in mine inn, but I must have my pocket picked for it?
1596. Spenser, Faery Queen, IV. i. 11. Amongst the rest there was a jolly knight . . . But that same younker soone was overthrowne.
1599. Hall, Satires, III. v. 18. There must my yonker fetch his waxen crown.
1607. Dekker, Northward Hoe, iv. 1. If I were a younker, it would be no immodesty . . . to be seen in my company; but to have snow in the lap of June, vile, vile!
1614. Chapman, Odyssey, xiv. Ulysses slept there, and close by The other YOUNKERS.
c. 1625. Fletcher, Elder Brother, iii. 5. Would he were buried! I fear he'll make an ass of me, a younker.
1626. Smith, English Sea Terms, s.v. Sayler [an old hand as opposed to] younker, a fore-mast man.
1630-40. Howell, Letters, I. vi. 4. There was a Parliament then at Rheinsburgh, where all the Younkers met.
1647-8. Herrick, Hesperides,'Upon Pagget.' This yonker fierce to fight.
1670. Cotton, Scoffer Scofft [Works (1725), 249]. He is a very honest Younker, A bonny Lad, and a great Punker.
d.1684. Oldham, Satires, 223. The credit of the business and the state Are things that in a youngster's sense sound great.
1706. Ward, Wooden World, 24. A hundred or two of these little Younkers, with which he could fight better than with so many stout Tars in an Engagement.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 137. As smooth as younkers slide on ice.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas [Routledge], 31. By all that is sacred . . . it is plain you are no younker.
1822. Lamb, Essays, 'Chimney-sweepers.' It was a pleasure to see the sable younkers lick in the unctuous meat.
1870. Judd, Margaret, i. 6. The juveniles and younkers in the town.
Young Thing, subs. phr. (colloquial).—An immature girl: in mild contempt or pity: e.g. 'She's but a YOUNG THING.'
1360. Syr Gawayn [E.E.T.S.], 49 [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 57. A lady calls herself 'a young thing,' a phrase not yet lost].
Your Nibs. See Nibs and Watch.
Yours Truly, phr. (common).—A jocular mode of reference to oneself: cf. Nibs and Watch.
1866. Collins, Armadale, II. 168. Yours truly, sir, has an eye for a fine woman and a fine horse.
1899. Kettle, Furth. Adv., ix. You may take it as straight from yours truly that you'll go to your own funeral if trouble starts.
You-uns, pr. (Southern U.S.).—You: cf. Wee-uns.
1876. Hay, Mystery of Gilgal. But I'll tell the yarn to youans.
1885. Craddock, Prophet Gt. Smoky Mountains, i. Mirandy Jane . . . 'pears like I hev hed the trouble o' raisin' a idjit in you-uns.
Yoxter, subs, (old prison).—A convict returned from transportation before his time was up.
Yum-yum, adv. phr. (common).—First-rate, excellent.
