• Nay

    Pronunciation

    • enPR: nā, IPA: /neɪ/
    • Homophones: nee, neigh
    • Rhymes: -eɪ

    Origin

    From Middle English nai, nei, from Old Norse nei ("no"), contraction of ne ("not") + ei ("ever"). More at no.

    Full definition of nay

    Adverb

    nay

    1. (archaic) no

    Derived terms

    Conjunction

    1. or even, or more like, or should I say. Introduces a stronger and more appropriate expression than the preceding one.
      • His face was dirty, nay filthy.
      • 1663, Hudibras, by , part 1,... And proved not only horse, but cows,
        Nay pigs, were of the elder house:
        For beasts, when man was but a piece
        Of earth himself, did th' earth possess.
      • 1748. David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 18.And even in our wildest and most wandering reveries, nay in our very dreams, we shall find, if we reflect, that the imagination ran not altogether at adventures,

    Noun

    nay

    (plural nays)
    1. A vote against.I vote nay, even though the motion is popular, because I would rather be right than popular.
    2. A person who voted against.The vote is 4 in favor and 20 opposed, the nays have it.

    Verb

    1. (obsolete) To refuse.

    Adjective

    1. nary

    Anagrams

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