yield
B2Formal and neutral; common in financial, academic, and driving contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To produce or provide something, or to give way to pressure, force, or a superior claim.
A financial return on an investment; the quantity of product obtained from a process; a sign on the road requiring drivers to give way.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word bridges concrete (agricultural/financial output) and abstract (surrendering, conceding) domains. The 'give way' sense is dominant in American traffic law.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK traffic signs, 'Give Way' is used; the noun 'yield' for a traffic sign is primarily American. The financial sense is identical.
Connotations
In business, 'yield' is neutral. In general use, 'yield' can sound slightly more formal than 'give in' or 'produce'.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both varieties, with a noticeable spike in American English due to its traffic sign usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
VERB + NOUN (yield results)VERB + TO + NOUN (yield to demands)VERB + NOUN + NOUN (yield him an advantage)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The yield curve”
- “To yield the floor”
- “Yield up the ghost (archaic)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the return on an investment, e.g., 'The bond has a 5% annual yield.'
Academic
Used in scientific writing for results/output, e.g., 'The experiment yielded conclusive data.'
Everyday
Often used for giving way in an argument or at a junction (US).
Technical
In engineering/physics: the point where a material deforms permanently (yield strength).
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The vineyard's yield was lower this year.
- Investors are concerned about the falling dividend yield.
American English
- The average yield on corn has increased.
- Slow down when you see a yield sign.
verb
British English
- The research finally yielded a breakthrough.
- You must give way to traffic on the main road.
- The investment yields a steady return.
American English
- The investigation yielded new evidence.
- Remember to yield to pedestrians.
- This strategy should yield significant profits.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This tree yields apples every autumn.
- He yielded and let his sister play first.
- The talks yielded no agreement.
- The savings account yields 3% interest.
- The study yielded unexpected findings about animal behaviour.
- The government refused to yield to the protesters' demands.
- The polymer's yield strength determines its industrial applications.
- Strategically, yielding that territory proved to be a masterstroke.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a farmer's FIELD: it YIELDS crops. A driver at a sign YIELDS, letting other cars into the field of the road.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRODUCTION IS BEARING FRUIT (agricultural yield); SURRENDER IS MOVING ASIDE (yielding in traffic/argument).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'yell' (кричать).
- The traffic sense ('уступать дорогу') is not always the first meaning learned.
- Not a direct equivalent for 'доход' in all contexts; 'income' or 'return' may be better.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'The tree yields a lot of fruits.' (Correct: '...a lot of fruit.')
- Incorrect preposition: 'yield under pressure' (Correct: 'yield TO pressure').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'yield' used as a noun meaning 'financial return'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be used in both formal and neutral registers. In finance, science, and law it is standard. In everyday speech, synonyms like 'give in' or 'produce' are sometimes more common.
Both imply giving up, but 'surrender' is stronger and typically used in military or definitive contexts. 'Yield' can be more gradual, partial, or diplomatic.
It's a historical difference in traffic signage terminology. The meaning and rule (to give priority) are identical.
Yes, it can refer to the amount of food produced by a recipe, e.g., 'This cake recipe yields 12 servings.'