different between nay vs zay

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

Pronoun

zay

1. Pronunciation spelling of they.

Verb

zay

1. Pronunciation spelling of say.