nay

Formal legislative rejection

Nay is an old-fashioned or formal word for no, surviving mainly in legislative voting: The nays have it.

It also introduces a correction that strengthens the preceding statement: dozens, nay hundreds of complaints.

As a noun, a nay is a vote against something or a person casting such a vote.

refusal

veto

Official refusal to approve

declineDecrease or refuse
refusalAct of declining
rejectionDenial of acceptance

denial · rebuff · turndown · negation · dissent · objection · prohibition · disallowance · no · never

voting

ballot

Voting document

voteFormal choice expression
ayeAffirmative vote
abstentionFormal refusal to vote

tally · poll · division · quorum · yea · motion · resolution · unanimous · defeated · carried

opposition

contrary

Opposed in nature

contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
antithesisDirect opposite; contrasting juxtaposition
dissentDisagreement with authority

disagreement · objection · counter · dispute · challenge · demur · protest · resistance · contrarian · skeptic

horse

neigh

Horse's vocal call

whinnySoft equine call
snortNoisy nasal exhale
nickerSoft horse vocalization

whicker · snuffle · blow · equine · stallion · mare

archaic

verily

Archaic word for certainly

forsoothArchaic emphatic affirmation
pritheeArchaic entreaty word
harkListen, old-fashioned

indeed · rather · moreover · truly · yea · lo · wherefore · hence · thus · sooth

Categories

old-fashioned wordsforsooth, hark, betwixt, hither, prithee
Archaismsthee, thou, thy, thine, ye
Olde Englishthee, thou, thy, thine, hath
archaic Englishthou, thee, thy, thine, ye
old exclamationszounds, gadzooks, egad, egads, forsooth
Old Spellingsaether, connexion, magick, shew, shoppe

Opposites

affirmation/denial

nayyea

Formal vote assenting

yes · aye · yeah · affirmative · yep

permission/prohibition

Favorable opinion given

yes · grant · consent · permission · authorization

rhetorical intensification

Archaic word for certainly

indeed · yea · moreover · furthermore

Phrases

yeas and naysAffirmative and negative votes
ayes and nays
yea or nay
nay voteExpressed legislative opposition

Family

naysayer, naysayers, nays, naysaying, nay-sayer, nay-saying, nay-sayers

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G