When we say something 'yields', it means it gives us something. Imagine a farm: a field can yield many vegetables, meaning it grows and gives us vegetables.
It can also mean to give up or let someone else go first. Like, if you are walking and see someone coming, you might yield and let them pass.
The word yield has a couple of meanings. It can mean to produce something. Think about a farm, where the land yields crops like corn or wheat. So, it gives us food.
It can also mean to give way or surrender. Imagine you are in a car, and you see a 'yield' sign. This means you should let other cars go first if they have the right of way. You are giving way to them. Another example is if you are in an argument and you yield to someone's point, it means you agree with them in the end.
The verb "yield" encompasses a spectrum of meanings, primarily denoting the act of producing or providing, often in the context of agricultural output, financial returns, or tangible results from an effort. For instance, a fruitful harvest or a lucrative investment might "yield" significant returns.
Beyond this generative sense, "yield" also conveys the concept of ceding or surrendering. This can manifest as giving way physically, such as a structure yielding to pressure, or metaphorically, like an individual yielding to a persuasive argument or a superior force.
Furthermore, it can imply compliance or acquiescence, as in yielding to a request or authority.
The specific nuance of "yield" is heavily dependent on its contextual application, ranging from beneficial production to reluctant submission.
yield in 30 Sekunden
- produce
- provide
- surrender
§ Understanding the Verb "Yield"
The verb "yield" is quite versatile and can be used in several contexts. It generally means to produce or provide something, or to surrender/give way. Let's break down its different uses and how to incorporate them correctly into your sentences.
- Definition 1
- To produce or provide something, such as a crop, profit, or result.
When "yield" is used in this sense, it often refers to the outcome or output of a process, effort, or investment. It's commonly seen in agricultural, financial, or scientific contexts.
§ "Yield" as to Produce/Provide
In this context, "yield" is typically followed by the thing being produced or provided. It can be a tangible item like crops, or an intangible one like results or profits.
The apple trees yielded an abundance of fruit this year.
Investing in renewable energy could yield significant profits in the long term.
The scientific experiment didn't yield the expected results.
- Definition 2
- To surrender or give way to a superior force or argument.
This definition of "yield" implies a giving in or submission. It can be used in physical contexts (like a structure yielding under pressure) or in more abstract situations (like yielding to temptation or an argument).
§ "Yield" as to Surrender/Give Way
When using "yield" in this sense, it is often followed by the preposition "to" and then the thing or person being yielded to. It can also be used intransitively (without a direct object) when referring to giving way physically.
- Yield to (someone/something): This is the most common construction for this meaning.
Despite strong opposition, the committee finally yielded to public pressure.
The ancient bridge eventually yielded to the force of the floodwaters.
- Intransitive use (giving way physically):
The old floorboards began to yield under his weight.
§ Grammar Notes for "Yield"
"Yield" is a regular verb, so its past tense and past participle form is "yielded".
- Present Simple: yield, yields
- Past Simple: yielded
- Present Participle: yielding
- Past Participle: yielded
Remember to choose the correct meaning and grammatical structure based on the context of your sentence. Pay close attention to whether you are talking about producing something or giving way to something.
§ Mistakes people make with this word
The word "yield" is a versatile verb with several distinct meanings, which can sometimes lead to confusion for English learners. Its primary definitions revolve around producing something and surrendering. Understanding the contexts in which each meaning is used is crucial to avoid common pitfalls.
§ Confusing 'Yield' (produce) with 'Give' or 'Make'
One common mistake is using "yield" interchangeably with simpler verbs like "give" or "make" when the context doesn't quite fit the nuance of production. While similar, "yield" often implies a more natural or inherent production, especially in agricultural, financial, or scientific contexts. It suggests an outcome or result that is a consequence of a process or investment.
- Incorrect Usage
- The bakery yielded many cakes today.
The apple trees yielded an abundant harvest this year.
The investment is expected to yield significant returns.
§ Misusing 'Yield' (surrender) in casual contexts
The "surrender" meaning of "yield" often carries a more formal or serious tone, implying giving up to a greater force, authority, or pressure. Using it in trivial situations can sound overly dramatic or out of place.
- Incorrect Usage
- I yielded to my friend's request for another slice of pizza.
The small army had to yield to the invading forces.
When presented with overwhelming evidence, he had no choice but to yield to the prosecutor's argument.
§ Overlooking 'Yield' as a Traffic Sign
Many learners, especially those not accustomed to traffic laws where "yield" signs are common, might overlook this specific, imperative usage. In traffic, "yield" means to slow down or stop and give way to other traffic before proceeding.
- What it means: To give way to oncoming traffic or pedestrians.
At the intersection, you must yield to traffic from the left.
§ Incorrect Prepositions with 'Yield' (surrender)
When "yield" means to surrender, it's often followed by specific prepositions, most commonly "to." Using other prepositions can sound awkward or change the meaning entirely.
- Incorrect Usage
- She refused to yield against the pressure.
He wouldn't yield to their demands, no matter how much they insisted.
§ General Vagueness in Context
Because "yield" has multiple meanings, using it without clear context can sometimes lead to ambiguity. Always ensure that the surrounding words clarify which meaning of "yield" you intend to convey.
- Ambiguous Example
- The discussion didn't yield anything.
The long negotiation finally began to yield some positive outcomes.
Despite strong opposition, the committee refused to yield on their core principles.
By being mindful of these common mistakes and paying close attention to the context, learners can use "yield" accurately and effectively in their communication.
§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives
The word "yield" is quite versatile, carrying two distinct primary meanings: to produce or provide, and to surrender or give way. Understanding the nuances between "yield" and its synonyms is key to using it effectively.
- Synonyms for 'to produce or provide'
- When "yield" means to produce or provide, similar words include produce, generate, bear, and supply.
- Produce: This is a very close synonym to "yield" in the sense of creating or making something. "Produce" often implies a more deliberate act of creation or manufacturing. For example, a factory produces cars, and a writer produces a novel. "Yield" in this context often refers to a natural outcome or a result of an effort, like a crop yielding fruit or an investment yielding profit.
The apple tree yielded an abundance of sweet fruit this year.
The company aims to produce 10,000 units by the end of the month.
- Generate: This synonym emphasizes the creation of something, often abstract or energetic. You generate ideas, electricity, or interest. While a field can yield a crop, it doesn't typically "generate" a crop in the same way. "Yield" is more about the output, while "generate" is about the process of creating that output.
The new investment is expected to yield
Brainstorming sessions often generate
- Bear: This is often used for natural production, especially of fruit, flowers, or offspring. It has a slightly more poetic or naturalistic feel than "yield." "Bear" is typically about the capacity to produce over time, while "yield" can refer to a specific output at a given time.
The old tree continues to bear
- Supply: This focuses on providing something that is needed or demanded. While "yield" can imply providing, "supply" is more about the act of making something available. A farm yields a harvest, which then supplies food to the market.
The oil well can yield
The company agreed to supply
- Synonyms for 'to surrender or give way'
- When "yield" means to surrender or give way, similar words include give in, submit, cede, and concede.
- Give in: This is a more informal phrase meaning to stop resisting and agree to something. It often implies a prolonged struggle before the surrender.
After hours of debate, he refused to yield
Eventually, she had to give in to her children's demands.
- Submit: This implies formally accepting the authority or will of another. It suggests a more formal or institutional context than "give in."
The rebels were ordered to submit to the government's terms.
- Cede: This is typically used in a more formal or legal context, meaning to give up power or territory. It's a stronger term than "yield" and often implies a formal transfer.
The losing side was forced to cede
- Concede: This means to admit that something is true or that someone else is right, often after a dispute. It implies an intellectual or argumentative surrender rather than a physical one.
He had to concede that her argument was stronger.
Beispiele nach Niveau
The apple trees in our garden yield a lot of fruit every summer.
The apple trees... produce a lot of fruit.
Here, 'yield' means to produce or provide.
Investing in this company is expected to yield a good profit.
Investing... is expected to result in good profit.
In this context, 'yield' refers to producing a financial return.
After a long discussion, he finally decided to yield to their demands.
He finally decided to surrender to their demands.
Here, 'yield' means to give in or surrender.
The old bridge could no longer yield to the weight of heavy trucks.
The old bridge could no longer withstand the weight.
'Yield to' can also mean to give way under pressure.
Our efforts to clean the park began to yield positive results.
Our efforts... began to produce positive results.
Here, 'yield' is used to describe the outcome of an action.
Farmers hope that the good weather will yield a bountiful harvest.
Farmers hope... will produce a large harvest.
Similar to the first example, 'yield' refers to agricultural production.
You must yield to traffic coming from the right at this intersection.
You must give way to traffic.
This is a common use of 'yield' in traffic rules, meaning to allow others to go first.
Her research might yield new information about the disease.
Her research might provide new information.
In this sentence, 'yield' means to provide or disclose.
The investigation did not yield any new evidence, much to the frustration of the detectives.
La investigación no arrojó ninguna evidencia nueva, para la frustración de los detectives.
Here, 'yield' means to produce or provide. It's used in the negative to indicate a lack of results.
Despite the challenging economic climate, the company's investments continued to yield a steady profit.
A pesar del difícil clima económico, las inversiones de la empresa siguieron generando un beneficio constante.
In this sentence, 'yield' refers to producing a financial return.
The small garden, with careful tending, could yield enough vegetables to feed a family of four.
El pequeño jardín, con un cuidado esmerado, podría producir suficientes verduras para alimentar a una familia de cuatro.
Here, 'yield' is used in the context of agricultural production.
The ancient dam, weakened by years of erosion, was expected to yield during the heavy rains.
Se esperaba que la antigua presa, debilitada por años de erosión, cediera durante las fuertes lluvias.
In this instance, 'yield' means to give way or collapse under pressure.
After hours of debate, the opposition finally had to yield to the government's majority vote.
Después de horas de debate, la oposición finalmente tuvo que ceder ante la mayoría de votos del gobierno.
'Yield' here signifies surrendering or giving in to a superior force or argument.
The scientist hoped his innovative experiment would yield groundbreaking data for his research.
El científico esperaba que su experimento innovador produjera datos innovadores para su investigación.
This usage of 'yield' means to produce or result in something new or significant.
When approaching a crosswalk, drivers must yield to pedestrians, ensuring their safety.
Al acercarse a un paso de peatones, los conductores deben ceder el paso a los peatones, garantizando su seguridad.
In traffic rules, 'yield' specifically means to give way to other traffic or pedestrians.
The intensive training program was designed to yield highly skilled technicians for the burgeoning industry.
El programa de capacitación intensiva fue diseñado para producir técnicos altamente calificados para la industria en auge.
Here, 'yield' refers to producing or generating skilled individuals through a process.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenThe main idea of 'yield' as a verb is to produce or provide something, like a crop, a profit, or a result. It can also mean to give in or surrender.
Certainly! For example, 'The apple trees yielded a lot of fruit this year,' or 'This investment should yield a good return.'
Of course. You might hear, 'The smaller army had to yield to the superior force,' or 'After a long debate, he finally yielded to her arguments.'
Yes, absolutely! It's very common to talk about how much a farm or a crop yields, referring to the amount of produce harvested.
Not always. While producing a profit or good results can be positive, 'yielding' to a superior force or argument can imply defeat or giving in, which isn't always positive.
Yes, definitely! In traffic, a 'yield' sign means you need to yield to oncoming traffic or pedestrians, meaning you must give way to them.
While often similar, 'yield' can imply a natural or inherent production, especially in agriculture, or it can specifically refer to a return on investment. 'Produce' is a more general term for creating or making something.
The past tense of 'yield' is yielded.
'Yield' is generally considered a fairly neutral word. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the specific meaning and situation.
One common phrase is 'to yield results,' meaning to produce good outcomes. In a more literal sense, you'll also see 'yield' on road signs.
Teste dich selbst 60 Fragen
The apple trees will ___ many fruits this year.
To 'yield' means to produce or provide something, like fruit.
Farmers hope their crops will ___ a good harvest.
To 'yield' refers to the production of crops.
The small garden can ___ some vegetables for the family.
In this context, 'yield' means to produce or provide vegetables.
The hard work will ___ good results.
To 'yield' results means to produce or bring about results.
The company hopes to ___ a lot of profit this year.
To 'yield' profit means to generate or produce profit.
When you see a stop sign, you must ___ to other cars.
In traffic, to 'yield' means to give way or let other cars go first.
Write a short sentence about something a tree can produce.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
A tree can yield fruit.
Write a short sentence about what happens when you push something hard.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
The box will yield if I push it hard.
Write a short sentence about what a garden can give you.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
My garden can yield many vegetables.
What do the apple trees yield?
Read this passage:
A small farm grows apples. Every year, the apple trees yield many delicious fruits. The farmer sells the apples at the market. People like to buy the fresh apples from his farm.
What do the apple trees yield?
The passage states that the apple trees yield many delicious fruits.
The passage states that the apple trees yield many delicious fruits.
What does it mean to yield when walking on the sidewalk?
Read this passage:
When you are walking on the sidewalk and someone is coming towards you, it's polite to yield. This means you move a little to the side so they can pass easily. It helps everyone walk without bumping into each other.
What does it mean to yield when walking on the sidewalk?
The passage explains that yielding means to move a little to the side so someone can pass.
The passage explains that yielding means to move a little to the side so someone can pass.
What does the gardener hope the tomato plants will yield?
Read this passage:
My small garden is full of tomato plants. They are growing very well this summer. I hope they will yield a lot of red tomatoes for my salads. I love fresh tomatoes from my own garden.
What does the gardener hope the tomato plants will yield?
The gardener hopes the tomato plants will yield a lot of red tomatoes.
The gardener hopes the tomato plants will yield a lot of red tomatoes.
Listen for what the apple trees will produce.
Listen for what he had to do when he heard the police car.
Listen for what our efforts did not produce.
Read this aloud:
The farmers hope their fields will yield a good harvest.
Focus: yield, harvest
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Read this aloud:
You must yield to oncoming traffic at the intersection.
Focus: yield, oncoming
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Read this aloud:
This investment should yield a high profit.
Focus: yield, profit
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This sentence describes how trees produce apples.
This sentence means he had to give way to the stronger team.
This sentence talks about the farm producing good crops.
This sentence uses 'yield' in the sense of producing something, specifically a good crop from a harvest.
This sentence uses 'yield' in the sense of giving way or surrendering to a strong argument.
Here, 'yield' means to produce or provide positive results as a consequence of effort.
The intense pressure of the negotiation finally made him ___ to their demands.
In this context, 'yield' means to surrender or give way to a superior force or argument.
The new farming techniques are expected to ___ a higher crop output this season.
Here, 'yield' refers to producing or providing something, in this case, a higher crop output.
Despite his strong arguments, he refused to ___ his position in the debate.
To 'yield' one's position means to give way or concede, which he refused to do.
If a company's investments yield a good profit, it means they are losing money.
When investments yield a good profit, it means they are producing a positive financial return, not losing money.
When a car is about to turn, the driver should yield to oncoming traffic if necessary.
To 'yield' in traffic means to give way to other vehicles, especially when entering an intersection or making a turn, to prevent accidents.
A scientist hopes their experiment will yield no new discoveries.
Scientists conduct experiments with the hope that they will yield new discoveries or results, not none.
The company's innovative marketing strategy is expected to _______ a significant increase in sales this quarter.
In this context, 'yield' means to produce or provide a result, specifically a significant increase in sales.
Despite intense pressure from the opposition, the senator refused to _______ on his core principles.
Here, 'yield' means to surrender or give way, indicating the senator's steadfastness in his principles.
The new hybrid crop has been engineered to _______ a higher harvest per acre, significantly boosting agricultural output.
In this sentence, 'yield' refers to the crop's ability to produce or provide a higher harvest.
During the heated debate, it became clear that neither side was willing to _______ any ground, leading to a stalemate.
To 'yield ground' means to concede or give way in an argument or negotiation.
The ancient dam, weakened by years of erosion, eventually began to _______ to the relentless force of the floodwaters.
Here, 'yield' means to give way or collapse under pressure, in this case, from the floodwaters.
Economists predict that the new trade agreement will _______ substantial economic benefits for all participating nations.
In this context, 'yield' means to produce or provide something, specifically economic benefits.
This sentence structure correctly conveys the CEO's steadfastness.
This arrangement clearly states that the negotiations resulted in a peace treaty.
This sequence correctly describes the rainforest giving way to deforestation.
The company's innovative marketing strategy began to ___ significant returns in the third quarter, exceeding all expectations.
In this context, 'yield' means to produce or provide financial returns, which fits perfectly with the company's marketing strategy and exceeding expectations.
Despite fierce opposition, the governor refused to ___ to the demands of the protesters, maintaining his stance on the controversial legislation.
Here, 'yield' implies surrendering or giving way to pressure. The governor's refusal to concede to the protesters' demands aligns with this meaning.
After hours of meticulous experimentation, the research team was finally able to ___ a breakthrough discovery that could revolutionize medical treatment.
In this sentence, 'yield' refers to producing a result or outcome, specifically a significant discovery in research.
The constant pressure from the international community began to ___ results, as the dictatorial regime slowly started to loosen its grip on power.
Here, 'yield' signifies producing an effect or outcome, in this case, the regime's response to international pressure.
When confronted with irrefutable evidence, even the most stubborn debater must eventually ___ their position.
In this sentence, 'yield' means to concede or give way to a superior argument or evidence, which is appropriate for a debate scenario.
The harsh climate and rocky soil made it difficult for the farmers to ___ a bountiful harvest, leading to concerns about food security.
Here, 'yield' refers to producing a crop or harvest, which is a common usage of the word in an agricultural context.
The sentence describes how extended negotiations failed to produce significant results.
This sentence illustrates a situation where management initially resisted but ultimately succumbed to pressure from shareholders.
The sentence explains the contrasting effects of intensive crop cultivation, highlighting both immediate benefits and long-term drawbacks.
/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Yield encompasses the acts of producing and providing, as well as surrendering or giving way.
- produce
- provide
- surrender
