yes-noadj.adv.
/ˌjɛsˈnəʊ/, U.S. /ˌjɛsˈnoʊ/, South African English /ˌjesˈnəʊ/, Australian English /ˌjesˈnoʊ/ Originally Australian.
A. adj.
1. Of a policy: characterized by a contradictory or undefined position; ambiguous. Also occasionally of a politician: equivocating, non-committal. Now somewhat rare.Originally with reference to the contradictory position held by the New South Wales Premier George Reid regarding referendums on a proposed Australian constitution in 1898.
ΚΠ
1898 Weekly Times (Melbourne) 9 July 21/2 None..did such harm to the cause of Federation as did Mr George Reid with his shilly-shally, Yes-No, policy before the referendum.
1916 Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, New S. Wales) 23 Aug. We don't want a ‘Yes-No’ politician, with two faces, in Broken Hill.
1988 N.Y. Times 3 Aug. 23/4 What Mr. Arafat calls the ‘yes-no’ policy, an ambiguous stance that keeps all his options open, has worked brilliantly.
2. Also in form yes/no. Answerable by or definable in terms of a simple affirmation or negation; = yes-or-no adj. at yes adv., n., and int. Phrases 4.In quot. 1898 with reference to referendums on a proposed Australian constitution; cf. note at sense A. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > the quality of being specific > [adjective] > definite or determinate > determining or defining > of questions, decisions, etc.
yes-or-no1888
yes-no1898
1898 Bowral (New S. Wales) Free Press 17 Dec. In regard to the yes-no question on Federation, the speaker thought that was the time Barton turned his second somersault.
1925 Amer. Jrnl. Philol. 46 295 Questions also developed auxiliary means of definition which further distinguished two types of question, the yes-no question and the pronominal question.
1966 A. Battersby Math. in Managem. vii. 180 This type of work [sc. simulation] lends itself very readily to electronic computation, because it comprises a number of repetitive ‘loops’ of instructions, controlled by simple ‘yes-no’ decisions.
1990 Africa 60 340 The client puts specific questions..about related contingencies in a form requiring yes/no answers.
2018 Daily Express 22 Jan. 1/2 He..argued that going to voters with a Yes/No vote on a complicated issue was dangerous.
B. adv.
Used as a non-committal or equivocating response or statement: perhaps; partly ‘yes’ and partly ‘no’; cf. yes and no at yes adv., n., and int. Phrases 2a. In later use chiefly South African; see also ja-nee adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [adverb] > perhaps
is wenc897
wen isc897
peradventurec1300
peradventurec1325
perchancec1350
uphapa1375
percasea1393
lightly1395
in casea1398
maybea1400
may chancea1400
may-falla1400
may-fortunea1400
may-tidea1400
perhapa1464
happen1487
perhapsc1520
percase1523
ablea1525
by chance1526
mayhap1533
fortunea1535
belikelya1551
haps1570
mayhappen1577
perhappen1578
possibly1600
not impossibly1667
ables1673
aunters1673
aiblins1720
p'rapsa1745
aunterens1825
mebbe1825
yes-no1898
yimkin1925
ja-nee1937
1898 Truth (Sydney) 24 July 5/3 He [sc. George Reid] first said ‘Yes-No,’ and then waited to see How the country would take it before he said ‘Yes.’
1900 H. Blore Imperial Light Horseman 76 If this be your skill then need I not fear... Yes–no; a Kaffir, even of my cunning, could do no better.
1911 Oelwein (Iowa) Daily Reg. 29 June He was dilatory about coming to the table. Did he want any luncheon? He considered the matter and replied, ‘Yes-no.’
1986 Fair Lady (Cape Town) 5 Mar. 24 Is Wine an aphrodisiac? The answer is that South Africanism which floored me as a newcomer to this country: ‘Yes-no’ (followed by ‘it depends’).
2016 @_MissMajola 2 Feb. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) [In response to Does the thought of living with your mother at the age of 24 terrify you?] Yes-no. I don't wanna leave her side.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2019; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.adv.1898