Youth, n.

n.; pl. YOUTHS, sometimes YOUTH. [A-S. geógudh, geógodh, geogádn, geógedh, iügudh, ieógudh, geogudh[h]ād, O. Sax. iugudh, O. L. Ger. jöget, L. Ger. jögd, D. jeugd, O. H. Ger. jungund, jungund, jungunt, M. H. Ger. juget, N. H. Ger. jugend; Goth. junda, junds; O. Eng. youthede, jonghede, jongth, youngth. See YOUNG.]

1Sense 1. The state, condition, or quality of being young; juvenility. “In my flower of youth and strength.” Milton.

Such as in his face Youth smiled celestial. Milton.

2Sense 2. The part of life that succeeds to childhood; the period of existence preceding maturity or age; the whole early part of life, from childhood, or, sometimes, from infancy to manhood.

He wondered that your lordship Would suffer him to spend his youth at home. Shak.

Those who pass their youth in vice are justly condemned to spend their age in folly. Rambler.

In this sense the word can have no plural.

3Sense 3. A young person; especially, a young man. “Seven youths from Athens yearly sent.” Dryden.

In this sense, the word is often used in the plural.

4Sense 4. Young persons, collectively.

It is fit to youth to read the best authors first. B. Jonson.