nay

Word family

1 [sentence adverbadv] literaryEMPHASIZE used when you are adding something to emphasize what you have just said 不但如此，而且〔用于强调〕

a bright – nay, a blinding light

一道明亮，甚至令人目眩的光

2 old useNO used to say no 不，否

Nay, lad. It’s not that bad.

不，小伙子。没有那么糟。

Examples from the Corpus

nay• Boyd voted nay.• You are permitted, nay, encouraged to come back as many times as you like.• You are permitted, nay encouraged, to come back as many times as your appetite permits.• The administration explains these frustrations as understandable, nay inevitable, given the difficulties of transition.• The horses waded in blood up to their knees, nay up to the bridle.

nay2 noun [countableC]

a ‘no’ – used when voting 反对〔用于投票〕

Examples from the Corpus

nay• I can't say yay or nay to that really.

Origin nay1

(1100-1200) Old Norse nei

Chinese

Corpus