Nay

//neɪ// adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Nary; not any not-comparable, obsolete

    "'Tis easy to do this experiment, though nay substance will do: we shall need a special one."

Adverb
  1. 1
    No. archaic, dialectal, not-comparable

    "Duke Magnus, Duke Magnus, plight thee to me, I pray you still so freely; Say me not nay, but yes, yes!"

  2. 2
    Introducing a statement, without direct negation. archaic, dialectal, not-comparable

    "Nay, what are you smiling at so damnably?"

  3. 3
    Or rather, or should I say; moreover (introducing a stronger and more appropriate expression than the preceding one). archaic, not-comparable

    "His face was dirty, nay, filthy."

Adverb
  1. 1
    not this merely but also; not only so but wordnet
Intj
  1. 1
    No. archaic
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Abbreviation of Nayarit: a state of Mexico. abbreviation, alt-of
  2. 2
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    A vote against.

    "I vote nay, even though the motion is popular, because I would rather be right than popular."

  2. 2
    used to express negation wordnet
  3. 3
    A person who voted against.

    "The vote is 4 in favor and 20 opposed; the nays have it."

  4. 4
    A denial; a refusal. archaic

    "And my povert' no wight nor can nor may Make comparison, it is no nay."

Verb
  1. 1
    To refuse. obsolete

    "the cardinall then being bishop of Winchester, tooke vpon him the state of cardinall, which was naied and denaied him, by the king of most noble memorie"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English nai, nei, from Old Norse nei (“no”), contraction of ne (“not”) + ei (“ever”), itself from Proto-Germanic *nai (“never”), *nē (“not”). More at no. The verb is from Middle English nayen (“to refuse, deny, gainsay”), from the interjection and adverb above.

Etymology 2

From Middle English nai, nei, from Old Norse nei (“no”), contraction of ne (“not”) + ei (“ever”), itself from Proto-Germanic *nai (“never”), *nē (“not”). More at no. The verb is from Middle English nayen (“to refuse, deny, gainsay”), from the interjection and adverb above.

Etymology 3

From Middle English nai, nei, from Old Norse nei (“no”), contraction of ne (“not”) + ei (“ever”), itself from Proto-Germanic *nai (“never”), *nē (“not”). More at no. The verb is from Middle English nayen (“to refuse, deny, gainsay”), from the interjection and adverb above.

Etymology 4

From Middle English nai, nei, from Old Norse nei (“no”), contraction of ne (“not”) + ei (“ever”), itself from Proto-Germanic *nai (“never”), *nē (“not”). More at no. The verb is from Middle English nayen (“to refuse, deny, gainsay”), from the interjection and adverb above.

Etymology 5

From Middle English nai, nei, from Old Norse nei (“no”), contraction of ne (“not”) + ei (“ever”), itself from Proto-Germanic *nai (“never”), *nē (“not”). More at no. The verb is from Middle English nayen (“to refuse, deny, gainsay”), from the interjection and adverb above.

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