nay-say

See also: naysay

English

Alternative forms

• naysay

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England)

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Noun

nay-say (plural nay-says)

1. (archaic) A refusal, denial, or negation.
   • 1816, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 5, in The Black Dwarf:

     "That," replied Miss Lucy, "depends entirely on the manner in which the nay-says are said."

Verb

nay-say (third-person singular simple present nay-says, present participle nay-saying, simple past and past participle nay-said)

1. To speak negatively of something.
2. To reply no.

Related terms

• naysayer

See also

• gainsay

References

• “naysay”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• Oxford English Dictionary, second edition (1989)
• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996)