aye

See also: Aye and 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 (“century”), Dutch eeuw (“century”)), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyu- (“long time”) (compare Irish aois (“age, period”), Breton oad (“age, period”), Latin ævum (“eternity”), Ancient Greek αἰών (aiṓn)).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /eɪ/
    • Rhymes: -eɪ
  • (sometimes proscribed)[1] IPA(key): /aɪ/
    • Rhymes: -aɪ
    • Homophones: ay, eye, I

Adverb

aye (not comparable)

  1. (archaic) ever, always
Quotations
  • For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:aye.
References
  1. ↑ “aye” in John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors, The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989, →ISBN.

Etymology 2

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

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

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

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, as well as in Australia and New Zealand (where it may follow rather than precede a statement). viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc., or in nautical contexts.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Translations
References
  • The New Geordie Dictionary, Frank Graham, 1987, →ISBN
  • Newcastle 1970s, Scott Dobson and Dick Irwin,
  • 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
Translations

Anagrams

Middle English

Noun

aye (plural ayer or ayren)

  1. Alternative form of ei

Scots

Etymology

From Old Norse ei, ey, cognate with Old English ā. See the etymology for the English word above.

Pronunciation

  • 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
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