nay

Study(1)

/neɪ/

adv 3noun 3name 2intj 1verb 1

Collocations

ADJ.

chief, dirty, filthy, respectable, sooner

VERB + NAY

becomes, experiment, face, learn, said, say, vote

NAY + NOUN

art, didst, episcopalian, substance, thou, whither

ADV.

almost, almost, then

Definitions

adv

No.

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

Introducing a statement, without direct negation.

Nay, what are you smiling at so damnably?

Or rather, or should I say; moreover (introducing a stronger and more appropriate expression than the preceding one).

His face was dirty, nay, filthy.

[…] 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.

intj

No.

noun

A vote against.

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

Recently senators could fax in their yeas or nays to the committee chairman.

A person who voted against.

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

A denial; a refusal.

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

Thesaurus

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay

One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.

Example Bank

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

Wiktionary

Nay, what are you smiling at so damnably?

Wiktionary

His face was dirty, nay, filthy.

Wiktionary

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

Wiktionary

Recently senators could fax in their yeas or nays to the committee chairman.

Wiktionary

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

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, nay is marked as archaic, obsolete. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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