Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • interjection Used before me to express distress or regret.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • See aye.
  • noun See aye.
  • noun See ey.
  • noun A common English digraph (pron. ā), formerly interchangeable in most instances with ai, but now the regular form when final, occurring medially only in certain positions.
  • Ever; always; for ever; continually; for an indefinite time.
  • Ever: indefinitely, after if.
  • Ah! O! oh! an exclamation expressing surprise, interest, regret, etc., according to the manner of utterance.
  • Ay me! ah me! an expression of regret or sorrow.
  • noun A sparkling wine taking its name from the town of Ay in the department of Marne, France. See champagne.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • interjection Ah! alas!
  • adverb Same as aye.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • interjection Ah! alas!
  • interjection Alternative spelling of aye ("yes")
  • interjection New Zealand spelling of eh (question tag)
  • adverb Always; ever.
  • adjective For an indefinite time.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • '_Let them hang_,' ay -- (_ay_) 'and BURN TOO,' was 'the disposition' they had 'thwarted', -- measuring 'the quarry of _the quartered slaves_,' which it _would_ make, 'would the nobility but lay aside their ruth.'

    The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere Unfolded Delia Bacon 1835

  • Imbes na pagbabago, imbes na kaunlaran, ang nasaksihan natin ay ang kabaligtaran.

    Global Voices in English » Philippines: Reactions to the 9th State of the Nation Address 2009

  • 'The laugh of an Uma-ay is an ominous sign, it means misfortune or even death,' the tribal hunter said in the Hiliga-onon dialect.

    Archive 2008-02-01 2008

  • Ayun pagkatapos kumain ay nagpalit ako ng t-shirt para kunwari naligo pero hindi naman talaga tapos pumunta na kami kayla Keisha at sa daan nakoh ....

    Archive 2006-10-01 2006

  • Pagbabang pagbaba namin ay bumuhos ang malakas na ulan.

    Archive 2006-10-01 2006

  • Edi ayun binasa ko na at pagkatapos kong basahon ang dapat kong basahin ay tinanong na ako ni Sir ...

    Archive 2006-10-01 2006

  • Ngayon, susubukan kong magpahaba uli ng buhok (bago ako kinasal, mahaba talaga ang buhok ko, tawag nga ng iba sa akin ay "si ponytail").

    bigotillo Dean Francis Alfar 2004

  • Ngayon, susubukan kong magpahaba uli ng buhok (bago ako kinasal, mahaba talaga ang buhok ko, tawag nga ng iba sa akin ay "si ponytail").

    Archive 2004-06-01 Dean Francis Alfar 2004

  • Turkish tea or Çay is produced on the eastern Black Sea coast, which has a mild climate with high precipitation and fertile soil.

    All about Tea 1995

  • Sometimes I think it's what's meant by the unpardonable sin – ay, that I do!

    Chronicles of Avonlea Lucy Maud 1912

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