Yucks

Part of speech: noun, interjection

Definitions

1. Expressions or sounds made to indicate disgust or distaste ; instances of strong aversion or dislike often shown verbally or through facial reactions ; utterances conveying revulsion or disapproval typically in response to unpleasant stimuli
2. Vocalizations used to demonstrate a feeling of nausea or displeasure ; spontaneous exclamations of contempt or loathing ; words or noises that communicate an intense negative reaction or discomfort
3. Sounds or remarks that convey a sense of repulsion or disgust ; exclamatory forms of expressing extreme dislike or rejection ; verbal cues signaling objection or discomfort toward something offensive or disagreeable

Etymology: "Yucks" is simply the plural of "yuck," so it is a noun for expressions of disgust, and the interjection form is the same word used on its own. The noun is the more recent of the two uses, and its sound seems to be the main clue to where it came from: it is probably imitative, the kind of noise a person makes when recoiling from something unpleasant. The word's relatives suggest a family of sounds and meanings rather than a single borrowed source. Dutch has "jakkes," meaning disgusting, and Scots has "yeuk," used for anything that disgusts. Older English offers "yuke," an itchy skin disease, and that word is linked to Middle Dutch "joke" and modern Dutch "jeuk," which mean itch. The link between itching and revulsion is a plausible thread, though the exact path from one sense to the other is not fully documented. The 1930s theatrical slang sense is the earliest English use of this sound that the record shows, and a variant, "yuk," also appears in the same context. The word then spread into everyday speech in the 1960s, when the plural form became a common way to express collective disgust.

Synonyms: disgust, revulsion, distaste, repulsion, nausea

Antonyms: delight, pleasure, enjoyment, like, satisfaction