adv
nay
nay
adv
1
An old-fashioned or formal way to say "no."
"Nay, I will not agree to those terms."
noun
1
A vote against a proposal.
"The nays outnumbered the ayes, so the motion failed."
How to Use Nay
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old or formal word for "no," or a vote against something.
When to use it
Rare in everyday speech today outside of formal votes ("all in favor... all opposed, nay") or deliberately old-fashioned writing.
Common pairings
ayes and nays
vote nay
Word Forms
nayed past tense, nays plural, Nays plural, nays singular
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_____, I will not agree to those terms.
Etymology
From Old Norse nei, "no" — a contraction of ne ("not") and ei ("ever"). A doublet of the modern word "no."