Meaning & use
yes or nay
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
A choice between agreeing and disagreeing, especially in a vote or decision.
Grammar: Used as a set phrase, often after 'a' or 'the' or in questions like 'Is it yes or nay?'
Patterns
- a yes or nay vote
- ask for a yes or nay
The committee asked for a simple yes or nay on the proposal.
When the chair called for a yes or nay, most hands went up for yes.
We need a clear yes or nay before we can move forward.
Common combinations
- a yes or nay vote
- The board took a yes or nay vote on the new budget.
- ask for a yes or nay
- The teacher asked for a yes or nay from the class.
- give a yes or nay
- Please give a yes or nay when I call your name.
Synonyms and how they differ
- yea or nay
- The traditional voting phrase; 'yea' is the formal yes in legislative contexts, while 'yes' is more general.
- for or against
- Focuses on support versus opposition rather than a simple yes/no answer.
Commonly confused: yes or nay or yea or nay?
yes or nay vs yea or nay
This is the standard phrase in formal voting; 'yes or nay' mixes the everyday 'yes' with the formal 'nay' and is less formal.
Practice
The chairperson asked for a ___ on the new rules.
Choose one answer.
'Yes or nay' is the fixed phrase for a formal choice. 'Yes and nay' is not used; 'yep or nay' mixes informal 'yep' with formal 'nay'; 'yes or no' is a general question phrase but not the set expression for a vote.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “yes or nay”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.