I. (|)thā, before “ʸre” or “are” usually (ˌ)the pronoun, plural in construction
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse their, masculine plural demonstrative & personal pron.; akin to Old Norse that, neuter demonstrative pron. — more at that
1.
a. : those ones — used as nominative third person pronoun serving as the plural of he, the plural of she, or the plural of it, or referring to a group of two or more individuals that are not all of the same sex
your sons are popular because they dance well
ask your wife and daughter what they think about it
we are so used to matches that we can hardly imagine what life was like before they were invented
today is my neighbors' wedding anniversary but I don't know what presents they are giving each other
— often used with an antecedent that is singular in form but collective in meaning
even if the unofficial minority voted solidly against a government measure — a rare circumstance because they were divided by mutual jealousies — W.T.Stace
if industry is to do this important job they must understand not only what the men think — E.R.Smith
— sometimes in poetry and in substandard speech used pleonastically together with a noun or group of nouns as subject of a verb
the olives they were not blind to Him — Sidney Lanier
my father and mother they told me not to do it
— compare he , it , she
b. : he or she : he I 2 — used with an indefinite singular antecedent
everyone tries to make the person they love just like themselves — H.D.Skidmore
no person has a right to any coat of arms (or crest) unless they are the “heir-male” for the time being — Thomas Innes
the liability for damages lies against whoever is knowingly involved in such sale whether or not they receive any part of the consideration — U.S.Code
2. : those — used especially as antecedent to a relative pronoun
blessed are they that mourn — Mt 5:4 (Authorized Version)
the mothers who kept score did a fine job but they who did the umpiring left much to be desired — Deerfield (Wisc.) Independent
3. : people I 1a : unspecified persons and especially those responsible for a particular act, practice, or decision
curiosity killed a cat, they say
they are going to hold the commencement exercises outdoors if the weather permits
he's as lazy as they come
at Nedroma they think they can make a prodigious crop rise from the earth by inviting the tallest worker to stretch himself at full length in the first furrow — J.G.Frazer
4. dialect chiefly England : them — used emphatically as object of a verb or preposition
good enough for the likes of they
II. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from they, pron.
dialect England : those
its they deserters that commit half the crimes — Rose Macaulay
if you fetches out they hedges, master … I'll not work for 'ee no more — C.G.Glover
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: they (I)
: a group of unspecified persons or forces of which the speaker or writer is not a member ; especially : such a group held to be responsible for acts or decisions that impose unwelcome restrictions on the speaker or writer
the same they we always mean, … authority, the gods, fate, circumstances — Ralph Ellison
IV. pronoun
Etymology: by alteration
substandard : there II 1
they 's music in the twitter of the bluebird and the jay — J.W.Riley
they wasn't a house nowhere in sight — Helen Eustis
V. adjective
Etymology: by alteration
substandard : their II
the kids was sleeping all together in they bed over in the corner — Ralph Ellison