aye

See also ayé

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English aye, ai, agg, from Old Norse ei, ey, from Proto-Germanic *ī́ui ‘ever, always’ (compare Old English ā, ō, Middle Dutch ie, German je), accusative of *aiwaz ‘age; law’ (compare Old English ǣ(w) ‘law’, West Frisian ieu ‘id’, Dutch eeuw ‘century’), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éi̯us ‘long time’ (compare Irish aois ‘age, period’, Latin ævum ‘eternity’, Ancient Greek aiṓn).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /eɪ/
  • Rhymes: -eɪ
• (incorrectly) IPA: /aɪ/
  • Rhymes: -aɪ
  • Homophones: ay, eye, I

Adverb

aye (not comparable)

1. ever, always

Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

Etymology 2

Probably from use of aye as expression of agreement, or from Middle English a ye (“oh yes”). More at oh, yea.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /aɪ/
  • Rhymes: -aɪ
• Homophones: ay, eye, I

Alternative forms

• ay

Interjection

aye

1. yes; yea; a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question.

Usage notes

It is much used in northern and Midlands dialects of England, Scottish English, viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc., or in nautical contexts.

Synonyms

• yes
• yea

Antonyms

• nay
• no

Translations

yes

Finnish: jaa (fi), kyllä (fi) French: oui (fr) German: jawohl (de) Greek: ναι (el) (nε)

Persian: بله (fa) Russian: есть (ru) (jest’) Spanish: sí (es), sé (es)

References

• The New Geordie Dictionary, Frank Graham, 1987, ISBN 0946928118
• Newcastle 1970s, Scott Dobson and Dick Irwin, [1]
• A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Bill Griffiths, 2005, Northumbria University Press, ISBN 1904794165

Noun

aye (plural ayes)

1. An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative.

   "To call for the ayes and nays;" "The ayes have it."

Synonyms

• yes

Translations

affirmative vote

Finnish: jaa-ääni (fi)

Spanish: sí (es) m.

Anagrams

• yea

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Scots

Etymology

From Old Norse ei, ey, cognate with Old English ā.

Adverb

aye (not comparable)

1. used to show agreement or acceptance; yes
2. always, still

   A'll aye be wi ye an A'm nae carin whit thay say - I will always/ still be with you and I don't care what they say

Interjection

aye!

1. yes; yea; a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question