aye1
/ʌɪ
/(also ay)
exclamation
1 archaic or dialect Said to express assent; yes: aye, you’re right there...
- So, mind that ye put in water right away, aye and a drop or two of Irish Whiskey will help.
- Oh aye, sorry I was miles away, I'll be right there.
- Oh aye, I miss it, but it's the homework I miss most of all.
1.1 (aye aye) Nautical A response accepting an order: aye aye, captain...
- Carlis says he doesn't think ‘aye aye’ is a dignified response.
- All the Joint Chiefs except for Barrow had said, aye aye, sir, we'll go over to Congress to testify in favor of eliminating restrictions on women in combat.
- In the Marine Corps, the nautical expression "Aye, Aye, Sir" is used when acknowledging a verbal order.
1.2(In voting) I assent: all in favour say aye...
- Representatives from IBM, Toshiba, Hitachi, Iomega, Microsoft, Phoenix, Absolute Software, and Circuit Assembly voted aye.
- Speaker Neil Andrew asked those in favour to say aye.
- Mr. Chairman, 11 members have voted aye, 27 members have voted no.
noun
An affirmative answer, especially in voting: the House divided: Ayes 211, Noes 271...
- As I went through voting I noticed at least what I saw were all ayes.
- But a source present at the bishops’ meeting said the measure was approved with almost no debate, on a voice vote with a lusty chorus of ayes.
- If one goes to the application book, volume 1, page 23, line 30, it can be seen that it is recorded that the result of the division, this is on the second reading: ayes 14 and noes 13.
Phrases
the ayes have it
Origin
Late 16th century: probably from I, first person personal pronoun, expressing assent.
Rhymes
aye2
/eɪ/ /ʌɪ /adverb archaic or Scottish
Always or still: I’ve aye fancied seeing Edinburgh...
- Ive aye fancied mysel as the Gala Queen.
Phrases
for aye
Origin
Middle English: from Old Norse ei, ey; related to Latin aevum 'age' and Greek aie(i) 'ever', aiōn 'aeon'.