ay

• POS: Interjection, Adverb

CIDE DICTIONARY

ay, interj. 

 Ah! alas!  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

ay, adv. 

 Same as Aye.  [1913 Webster]

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]

ay, adv. [Icel. ei, ey; akin to AS. ā, āwa, always, Goth. aiws an age, Icel. æfi, OHG, wa, L. aevum, Gr. an age, , , ever, always, G. je, Skr. va course. , . Cf. Age, v., Either, a., Or, conj.].

 Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time.  [1913 Webster]
"For his mercies aye endure."  [1913 Webster]

For aye, always; forever; eternally.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ay, var. of AYE(1).

ROGET THESAURUS

ay

Assent

N assent, assentment, acquiescence, admission, nod, accord, concord, concordance, agreement, affirmance, affirmation, recognition, acknowledgment, avowal, confession of faith, unanimity, common consent, consensus, acclamation, chorus, vox populi, popular belief, current belief, current opinion, public opinion, concurrence, cooperation, ratification, confirmation, corroboration, approval, acceptance, visa, indorsement, consent, pressure to conform, herd instinct, peer pressure, assenting, of one accord, of one mind, of the same mind, at one with, agreed, acquiescent, content, willing, uncontradicted, unchallenged, unquestioned, uncontroverted, carried, agreed, nem, con, nemine contradicente unanimous, agreed on all hands, carried by acclamation, affirmative, yes, yea, ay, aye, true, good, well, very well, very true, well and good, granted, even so, just so, to be sure, 'thou hast said', you said it, you said a mouthful, truly, exactly, precisely, that's just it, indeed, certainly, you bet, certes, ex concesso, of course, unquestionably, assuredly, no doubt, doubtless, naturally, natch, be it so, so be it, so let it be, amen, willingly, affirmatively, in the affirmative, OK, all right, might as well, why not? with one consent, with one voice, with one accord, unanimously, una voce, by common consent, in chorus, to a man, nem, con, nemine contradicente, nemine dissentiente, without a dissentient voice, as one man, one and all, on all hands, avec plaisir, chi tace accousente, the public mind is the creation of the Master-Writ, you bet your sweet ass it is, what are we waiting for? whenever you're ready, anytime you're ready.