nay

[ ney ]

/ neɪ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nay ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

and not only so but; not only that but also; indeed: many good, nay, noble qualities.

Archaic. no (used in dissent, denial, or refusal).

noun

a denial or refusal.

a negative vote or voter.

RELATED WORDS

denial, negative, against

Nearby words

Origin of nay

1125–75; Middle English nai, nei < Old Norse nei no, contraction of ne not + ei ever; see na, ay¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nay

The vote in the Senate was 81-18, with 27 Republicans voting aye and 18 nay.
No Country for Old Moderates|Michael Tomasky|October 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Of course, the Democratic majority holds the votes to confirm Hagel even if Republicans unanimously vote "nay."
Make Democrats Own Their Hagel-Flop|David Frum|February 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I would bet today, though, that they don't even have 40 at the end of the day; more like 15 to 25 nay votes would be my guess.
The Hagel Nomination|Michael Tomasky|January 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It is seriously - nay, spectacularly - flawed in its most fundamental aspects.
David's Bookclub: Eisenhower in War and Peace|David Frum|December 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST

And this tale involved the writing of a biography—which would just so happen to involve hours, nay years, of travel for them.
Paula Broadwell, Eminem, & More Spurned Lovers Who Went Ballistic|Paula Froelich|November 15, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He is rich enough to buy it, nay he has Plenty of it, tho' he hardly ever touches it, when he is by himself.
A Letter to Dion|Bernard Mandeville
Nay”—as the youth looked up in astonishment—“nay, answer me not, for I know what thou wouldst have.
Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine|Lewis Spence
"Nay, she will be under a different and a harsher master," said the Roman.
The Last of the Legions and Other Tales of Long Ago|Arthur Conan Doyle
Nay,” as Kenyon attempted to speak again, “I cannot hear you further.
Zero the Slaver|Lawrence Fletcher
Sire, I have been guilty of a great fault; nay, more than a great fault, a great crime.
Ten Years Later|Alexandre Dumas, Pere

British Dictionary definitions for nay

nay

/ (neɪ) /

sentence substitute

mainly archaic, or dialect an archaic or dialect (except in voting by voice) word for no 1

noun

a person who votes in the negative
a negative vote

adverb

(sentence modifier) archaic an emphatic form of no 1

Compare aye 1

Word Origin for nay

C12: from Old Norse nei, from ne not + ei ever, ay 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nay

nay

word of negation, late 12c., from a Scandinavian source, cf. Old Norse nei, compound of ne "not" (see un-) + ei "ever" (see aye (2)).

nay

adverb

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of nay

Examples from the Web for nay

nay

sentence substitute

noun

adverb

Word Origin for nay

nay