Ay

{ } adv. [ Perh. a modification of yea, or from the interjection of admiration or astonishment, OE. ei, ey, why, hey, ay, well, ah, ha. Cf. MHG. & G. ei, Dan. ej. Or perh. akin to aye ever. ] Yes; yea; -- a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question. It is much used in viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word is written I in the early editions of Shakespeare and other old writers. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } adv. [ Icel. ei, ey; akin to AS. ā, āwa, always, Goth. aiws an age, Icel. æfi, OHG, &unr_;wa, L. aevum, Gr. &unr_; an age, &unr_;, &unr_;, ever, always, G. je, Skr. &unr_;va course. &unr_;, &unr_;. Cf. Age, v., Either, a., Or, conj. ] Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time. [ 1913 Webster ]

For his mercies aye endure. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

For aye,
always; forever; eternally. [ 1913 Webster ]

interj. Ah! alas! “Ay me! I fondly dream ‘Had ye been there.'” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Pg. aia, akin to Sp. aya a governess, ayo a tutor. ] A native nurse for children; also, a lady's maid. [ India ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as, “To call for the ayes and noes;” “The ayes have it.” [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From the native name, prob. from its cry. ] (Zool.) A singular nocturnal quadruped, allied to the lemurs, found in Madagascar (Cheiromys Madagascariensis), remarkable for its long fingers, sharp nails, and rodent-like incisor teeth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aye ever + green. ] (Bot.) The houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum). Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , adv. & prep. [ OE. &unr_;, &unr_;. See Again. ] Again; back against. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]