aye

See also: Aye and ayé

English

Etymology 1

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English aye, ai, agg, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Norse ei, ey, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] 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 (“century”), Dutch eeuw (“century”)), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyu- (“long time”) (compare Irish aois (“age, period”), Breton oad (“age, period”), Latin ævum (“eternity”), Ancient Greek αἰών (aiṓn)).

Pronunciation

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /eɪ/
  • (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Rhymes: -eɪ
• (sometimes proscribed) (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /aɪ/
  • (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Rhymes: -aɪ
  • (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Homophones: ay, eye, I

Adverb

aye (not comparable)

1. (archaic) ever, always
   • 1863 Translation by Catherine Winkworth

     Let the Amen sound from His people again; Gladly for aye we adore Him. (Praise to the Lord, the Almighty)

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see [[Citations:aye#|Citations:aye]].

Etymology 2

Probably from use of aye as expression of agreement or affirmation, or from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English a ye (“oh yes”). More at oh, yea.

Pronunciation

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /aɪ/
  • (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Rhymes: -aɪ
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) 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 Scotland, the north and Midlands of England, the northern counties of Ireland, North Wales, 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) (nai)
• Hungarian: igen (hu)
• Irish: aidhe
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Neapolitan: sine
• Persian: بله (fa)
• Russian: есть (ru) (jestʹ)
• Spanish: sí (es), sé (es)
• Turkish: evet (tr)

References

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

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
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Turkish: evet (tr)

Anagrams

• yae

---

Scots

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Norse ei, ey, cognate with Old English ā. See the etymology for the English word above.

Pronunciation

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /aɪ/

Adverb

aye (not comparable)

1. 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