different between nay vs naw

English

Etymology

From Middle English nai, nei, from Old Norse nei (“no”), contraction of ne (“not”) + ei (“ever”), itself from Proto-Germanic *nai (“never”), *n? (“not”). More at no.

Pronunciation

• enPR: n?, IPA^(key): /ne?/
• Homophones: nee, neigh, Neagh
• Rhymes: -e?

Adverb

nay (not comparable)

1. (now chiefly archaic or regional) No. [from 12th c.]
2. (now chiefly archaic or regional) Introducing a statement, without direct negation. [from 14th c.]
   • 1876, Henry James, Roderick Hudson:

     Nay, what are you smiling at so damnably?

3. (now archaic or humorous) Or rather, or should I say; moreover (introducing a stronger and more appropriate expression than the preceding one). [from 16th c.]

Translations

Usage notes

In Early Modern English, nay was used to respond to a positive question, while no was used to respond to a negative question. Over time, this distinction disappeared.

Interjection

nay

1. (archaic) No.

Derived terms

• nay-say
• naysayer

Noun

nay (plural nays)

1. A vote against.

   Antonyms: aye, yea

2. A person who voted against.

3. (archaic) A denial; a refusal. [1]

Verb

nay (third-person singular simple present nays, present participle naying, simple past and past participle nayed)

1. (obsolete) To refuse.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Holinshed to this entry?)

Adjective

nay (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Nary. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Anagrams

• AYN, Ayn, NYA, Yan, any, any%, ayn, yan

Ainu

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naj/

Noun

nay

1. swamp.
2. small river.

Trivia

The ainu word -nay is frequently seen in names of places in Hokkaido and Northeast Japan, such as Wakkanai, Shizunai, etc.

Tagalog

Noun

nay

1. abbreviation of nanay, the informal form of ina

Vietnamese

Etymology

Cognate with này.

Pronunciation

• (Hà N?i) IPA^(key): [naj??]
• (Hu?) IPA^(key): [naj??]
• (H? Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [na(?)j??]

Adjective

nay • (????, ????, ????)

1. now, nowadays

Derived terms

Related terms

• này (“this”)

English

Etymology

From Scots naw, naa, na, from Middle English na, from Old English n? (“no, never”). More at no.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n??/

Interjection

naw

1. (Scotland, US, Jamaican) Pronunciation spelling of no.
2. (Jamaican) Pronunciation spelling of not.

Anagrams

• NWA, WAN, Wan, awn, wan, wan-

Cornish

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *naw, from Proto-Celtic *nawan, from Proto-Indo-European *h?néwn?.

Numeral

naw

1. nine

Jamaican Creole

Etymology

Probably from English not.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n??/, /?n??/
• Hyphenation: naw

Adverb

naw

1. not

Particle

naw

1. no

Maricopa

Noun

naw

1. friend

Old Polish

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *nav?.

Noun

naw m

1. corpse

Tarao

Noun

naw

1. child

References

• 2002, Chungkham Yashwanta Singh, Tarao Grammar

Wakhi

Etymology

Cognate with Yagnobi ??? (nav).

Numeral

naw

1. nine

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /na?u?/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /nau?/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Brythonic *naw, from Proto-Celtic *nawan, from Proto-Indo-European *h?néwn?.

Numeral

naw

1. nine

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

naw

1. Nasal mutation of daw.

Mutation

References

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present) , “naw”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

Whitesands

Noun

naw

1. knife

References

• Jeremy Hammond, The Grammar of Nouns and Verbs in Whitesands, an Oceanic Language of Southern Vanuatu (2009), p. 75