"yikes" meaning in English

See yikes in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Interjection

IPA: /jaɪks/ Audio: en-us-yikes.ogg [US]
Rhymes: -aɪks Etymology: Attested from mid-20th century, perhaps derived from yoicks, a hunting call used to urge hounds after a fox, which is attested from 1765–1775, that also is sometimes used as an exclamation of excitement or triumph. Yoicks is perhaps related to the earlier hoicks. Hoicks (alternatively hoick, hoic or hoik) is a variant of hyke, which was used as an exclamation of encouragement to hounds hunting deer. Further etymology unknown. Alternatively, it may be derived from yipes, which is an earlier exclamation of similar usage as yikes (and is often considered to be an alternative form of yikes). Yipes may be derived from yipe, which itself may be derived from the yie sound often used to express pain or dismay, with the -p adding onto it in the same way as yep and nope. Or, yipes may be derived from the yipping sound that dogs make. Or, possibly a conflation of both of the previous. Etymology templates: {{m|en|yoicks}} yoicks, {{m|en|hoicks}} hoicks, {{m|en|hyke}} hyke, {{unk|en|nocap=y}} unknown, {{m|en|yipes}} yipes, {{m|en|yipe}} yipe, {{m|en|yep}} yep, {{m|en|nope}} nope, {{m|en|yip|yipping}} yipping Head templates: {{en-interj}} yikes
  1. Expression of shock and alarm. Tags: humorous, informal, often Translations (expression of shock and alarm): renoi (Catalan), caram (Catalan), ve (Esperanto), aj (Esperanto), ho (Esperanto), skorzonero (Esperanto), hui (Finnish), iik (Finnish), houlà (French), huch (German), o Schreck (German), jesszus (Hungarian), jaj (Hungarian), accidenti (Italian), aī (Maori), credo! (Portuguese), cruzes! (Portuguese), ostras (Spanish), caray (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-yikes-en-intj-SX7N2dBQ Disambiguation of 'expression of shock and alarm': 87 13
  2. Expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances. Tags: humorous, informal, often Synonyms (expressing unpleasant surprise): eek Translations (expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances): ve (Esperanto), auts (Finnish), jopas (Finnish), ой (oj) (Russian), ай (aj) (Russian), ох (ox) (Russian), ах (ax) (Russian)
    Sense id: en-yikes-en-intj-lfr3zq6S Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 30 70 Disambiguation of 'expressing unpleasant surprise': 23 77 Disambiguation of 'expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances': 12 88
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: wow (english: Wow!; Note: can also be used for a pleasant surprise), yipes Derived forms: yikes on bikes Related terms: sheesh, yeesh, eek, uh-oh, jeez

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for yikes meaning in English (6.7kB)

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "yikes on bikes"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yoicks"
      },
      "expansion": "yoicks",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hoicks"
      },
      "expansion": "hoicks",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hyke"
      },
      "expansion": "hyke",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "y"
      },
      "expansion": "unknown",
      "name": "unk"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yipes"
      },
      "expansion": "yipes",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yipe"
      },
      "expansion": "yipe",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yep"
      },
      "expansion": "yep",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "nope"
      },
      "expansion": "nope",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yip",
        "3": "yipping"
      },
      "expansion": "yipping",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested from mid-20th century, perhaps derived from yoicks, a hunting call used to urge hounds after a fox, which is attested from 1765–1775, that also is sometimes used as an exclamation of excitement or triumph. Yoicks is perhaps related to the earlier hoicks. Hoicks (alternatively hoick, hoic or hoik) is a variant of hyke, which was used as an exclamation of encouragement to hounds hunting deer. Further etymology unknown.\nAlternatively, it may be derived from yipes, which is an earlier exclamation of similar usage as yikes (and is often considered to be an alternative form of yikes). Yipes may be derived from yipe, which itself may be derived from the yie sound often used to express pain or dismay, with the -p adding onto it in the same way as yep and nope. Or, yipes may be derived from the yipping sound that dogs make.\nOr, possibly a conflation of both of the previous.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "yikes",
      "name": "en-interj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "intj",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "sheesh"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "yeesh"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "eek"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "uh-oh"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "jeez"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Yikes! A monster!",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Then she told me I was ‘beautiful, for a black girl’. —Yikes!",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Expression of shock and alarm."
      ],
      "id": "en-yikes-en-intj-SX7N2dBQ",
      "links": [
        [
          "shock",
          "shock#English"
        ],
        [
          "alarm",
          "alarm#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "informal",
        "often"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "renoi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "caram"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "ve"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "aj"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "ho"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "skorzonero"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "hui"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "iik"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "houlà"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "huch"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "o Schreck"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "jesszus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "jaj"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "accidenti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "aī"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "credo!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "cruzes!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "ostras"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
          "word": "caray"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "30 70",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "John has lost his job and can't pay his mortgage; yikes!",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances."
      ],
      "id": "en-yikes-en-intj-lfr3zq6S",
      "links": [
        [
          "empathy",
          "empathy#English"
        ],
        [
          "unpleasant",
          "unpleasant#English"
        ],
        [
          "undesirable",
          "undesirable#English"
        ],
        [
          "circumstances",
          "circumstances#English"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "23 77",
          "sense": "expressing unpleasant surprise",
          "word": "eek"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "informal",
        "often"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "12 88",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
          "word": "ve"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "12 88",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
          "word": "auts"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "12 88",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
          "word": "jopas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "12 88",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "oj",
          "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
          "word": "ой"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "12 88",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "aj",
          "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
          "word": "ай"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "12 88",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ox",
          "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
          "word": "ох"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "12 88",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ax",
          "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
          "word": "ах"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/jaɪks/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪks"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-yikes.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d9/En-us-yikes.ogg/En-us-yikes.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/En-us-yikes.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "english": "Wow!; Note: can also be used for a pleasant surprise",
      "word": "wow"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "yipes"
    }
  ],
  "word": "yikes"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 1-syllable words",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English humorous terms",
    "English informal terms",
    "English interjections",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with unknown etymologies",
    "Requests for review of Russian translations",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪks",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪks/1 syllable"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "yikes on bikes"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yoicks"
      },
      "expansion": "yoicks",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hoicks"
      },
      "expansion": "hoicks",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hyke"
      },
      "expansion": "hyke",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "y"
      },
      "expansion": "unknown",
      "name": "unk"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yipes"
      },
      "expansion": "yipes",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yipe"
      },
      "expansion": "yipe",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yep"
      },
      "expansion": "yep",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "nope"
      },
      "expansion": "nope",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yip",
        "3": "yipping"
      },
      "expansion": "yipping",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested from mid-20th century, perhaps derived from yoicks, a hunting call used to urge hounds after a fox, which is attested from 1765–1775, that also is sometimes used as an exclamation of excitement or triumph. Yoicks is perhaps related to the earlier hoicks. Hoicks (alternatively hoick, hoic or hoik) is a variant of hyke, which was used as an exclamation of encouragement to hounds hunting deer. Further etymology unknown.\nAlternatively, it may be derived from yipes, which is an earlier exclamation of similar usage as yikes (and is often considered to be an alternative form of yikes). Yipes may be derived from yipe, which itself may be derived from the yie sound often used to express pain or dismay, with the -p adding onto it in the same way as yep and nope. Or, yipes may be derived from the yipping sound that dogs make.\nOr, possibly a conflation of both of the previous.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "yikes",
      "name": "en-interj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "intj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "sheesh"
    },
    {
      "word": "yeesh"
    },
    {
      "word": "eek"
    },
    {
      "word": "uh-oh"
    },
    {
      "word": "jeez"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Yikes! A monster!",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Then she told me I was ‘beautiful, for a black girl’. —Yikes!",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Expression of shock and alarm."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "shock",
          "shock#English"
        ],
        [
          "alarm",
          "alarm#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "informal",
        "often"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "John has lost his job and can't pay his mortgage; yikes!",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "empathy",
          "empathy#English"
        ],
        [
          "unpleasant",
          "unpleasant#English"
        ],
        [
          "undesirable",
          "undesirable#English"
        ],
        [
          "circumstances",
          "circumstances#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "informal",
        "often"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/jaɪks/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪks"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-yikes.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d9/En-us-yikes.ogg/En-us-yikes.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/En-us-yikes.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "expressing unpleasant surprise",
      "word": "eek"
    },
    {
      "english": "Wow!; Note: can also be used for a pleasant surprise",
      "word": "wow"
    },
    {
      "word": "yipes"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "renoi"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "caram"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "ve"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "aj"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "ho"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "skorzonero"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "hui"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "iik"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "houlà"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "huch"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "o Schreck"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "jesszus"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "jaj"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "accidenti"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "aī"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "credo!"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "cruzes!"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "ostras"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "expression of shock and alarm",
      "word": "caray"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
      "word": "ve"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
      "word": "auts"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
      "word": "jopas"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "oj",
      "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
      "word": "ой"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "aj",
      "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
      "word": "ай"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ox",
      "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
      "word": "ох"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ax",
      "sense": "expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances",
      "word": "ах"
    }
  ],
  "word": "yikes"
}

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