eh

Alternative forms

• ay (NZ)
• ehh
• ehhh

Pronunciation

• (Canada, UK) enPR: ā, IPA^(key): /eɪ/

• (Canadian)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪ
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɛ/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /e/
• Rhymes: -e

Interjection

eh

1. (informal, Britain, Australia, Canada, US) Used as a tag question, to emphasise what goes before or to request that the listener express an opinion about what has been said.

   These hot dogs are pretty good, eh?

2. In isolation, a request for repetition or clarification of what has just been said. Compare what, pardon.
3. (Canada) An interjection used to ascertain the continued attention of an individual addressed by the speaker

   I went to the restaurant, eh, but my friends didn't show up.

4. Expressing apathy or lack of enthusiasm; meh.

   —Do you feel like going out tonight?
   —Eh, I don't know.

Verb

eh (third-person singular simple present ehs, present participle ehing, simple past and past participle ehed)

1. To use the interjection eh

Adjective

eh

1. (informal, predicative only) Of mediocre quality; unremarkable.

   My French fries were eh.

Anagrams

• H&E, H.E., HE, He, he, he-

Etymology

From Proto-Albanian *akˢka, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”).

Verb

eh (first-person singular past tense eha, participle ehur)

1. to sharpen, whet, hone metal edge tools

Interjection

eh

1. signifying indifference or surprise

Anagrams

• hé

External links

• “eh” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

From Middle High German ē (“earlier, ere”), originally ēr. Modern Standard German uses the lengthened form ehe (only as a conjunction).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔeː/

Conjunction

eh

1. (colloquial) before

   Lass uns gehn, eh wir den Bus verpassen!

   Let's go before we miss the bus!

Adverb

eh

1. (colloquial) anyway

   Wozu soll ich mich anstrengen? Ich kann's eh nicht.

   Why should I make an effort? I can't do it anyway.

2. (colloquial, Austria) well, admittedly (for which in Germany only schon is used)

   Ich hab eh drüber nachgedacht, aber es wär nicht gegangen.

   I did well consider it, but it wouldn't have worked out.

Interjection

eh

1. indicates indifference, usually used as a reply alone: meh
2. indicates an obvious mistake: oh, no

Etymology

From Old Irish é (“he, they”), from Proto-Indo-European *éy. Cognate with Irish é and Scottish Gaelic e.

Pronoun

eh (emphatic eshyn)

1. he, him

   Cha vel breagerey dy ve credjit ga dy vel eh ginsh yn irriney.

   A liar is not to be believed even if he tells the truth.

   Cur meer da’n feeagh as hig eh reesht.

   Give the raven a bit and he’ll come again.

   Cur lhiat magh eh.

   Bring him out.

2. it

   Skeeal eddyr troor, t’eh ersooyl.

   A story between three, it’s gone.

Particle

eh

1. yes

Interjection

eh

1. uh

Etymology 1

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

Etymology 5

Verb

eh

1. (Internet slang, text messaging) Alternative form of é (“is”)

Interjection

eh

1. (Internet slang, text messaging) Alternative form of é (“yeah”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈe/
• Homophones: e, he

Interjection

eh

1. hey! (used to call, draw attention, warn or reprehend)
2. uh, um (space filler in a conversation, expression of hesitation or pause in speech)