u

adj

Etymology: An abbreviation of a word or term beginning with the letter U. Adjective sense 1 (“characteristic of the upper classes”) was coined by British linguist Alan S. C. Ross (1907–1980) in a 1954 article, and popularized by the English journalist and writer Nancy Mitford (1904–1973).

1. Abbreviation of upper class (“characteristic of the upper classes, particularly in the use of language”).

   “I may also note here that the U-demarcation is of two types: – (1) a certain U-feature has a different, non-U counterpart as non-U wealthy / U rich; (2) a certain feature is confined to U-speech and it has a counterpart which is not confined to non-U speech e.g. the pronunciations of girl as [ɡɛl], (? [ɡjɛl]), [ɡæl], [ɡɛəl] are U, but many (perhaps most male) U-speakers, like all non-U-speakers, use the pronunciation [ɡəːl].”

   “To TAKE a bath is non-U against U to HAVE one’s bath.”

2. Abbreviation of united.
3. Abbreviation of upper.
4. Usually in parentheses: abbreviation of unclassified.
5. Abbreviation of universal (“suitable for all ages”), in a film certificate.

character

1. The twenty-first letter of the English alphabet, called u and written in the Latin script.
2. Something shaped like the letter U:
3. Something shaped like the letter U:

name

Etymology: See Ü.

1. Alternative form of Ü (“Tibetan language”).

   “Among the settled communities of Central Tibet, the Tsang dialect as spoken in Shigatse and the U dialect as spoken in Lhasa hold the field.”

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from Burmese ဦး (u:).

1. An honorific to a Burmese man

   “U Thant; U Nu”

prep

Etymology: An abbreviation of a word or term beginning with the letter U. Adjective sense 1 (“characteristic of the upper classes”) was coined by British linguist Alan S. C. Ross (1907–1980) in a 1954 article, and popularized by the English journalist and writer Nancy Mitford (1904–1973).

1. Abbreviation of under.

   “In 1992 Susan Lockhart was Captain of the England U16 Hockey Squad.”

2. Abbreviation of up.

pron

1. Abbreviation of you.

   “t8k me w u”

   “"(W)ho knows I wanted her dead? cuz i only told u and (D.B.) so unless u told someone ..."”