yesterday

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   on the day preceding today

   Yesterday, the weather was beautiful.

2. 2
   adv

   in the recent past

   The election was news yesterday.

3. 3
   noun

   the day immediately before today

   The news was in yesterday's newspapers.

4. 4
   noun

   the recent past

   Yesterday's solutions are not good enough.

5. 5
   noun

   The day immediately before today; one day ago.

   Today is the child of yesterday and the parent of tomorrow.

6. 6
   noun

   The past, often in terms of being outdated.

   yesterday's technology

7. 7
   adv

   On the day before today.

   I started to watch the video yesterday, but could only finish it this evening.

8. 8
   adv

   As soon as possible.

   I want this done yesterday!

Etymology

From Middle English yesterday, yisterday, ȝesterdai, ȝisterdai, from Old English ġiestrandæġ, ġister dæġ, ġestor dæġ, ġeostran dæġ (“yesterday”), by surface analysis, yester- + day. Cognate with Scots yisterday, yesterday (“yesterday”), Saterland Frisian jässendeeg, järsendeges (“yesterday”, adverb), West Frisian justerdei (“yesterday”), Dutch gisterdag (“yesterday”), dialectal German gestertag (“yesterday”), Swedish gårdag (“yesterday”), Gothic 𐌲𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌹𐍃 (gistradagis, “tomorrow”, adverb). Compare further Dutch gisteren (“yesterday”), German gestern (“yesterday”).