Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: AY |
AYAdjective1. Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time. Adverb1. 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. 2. Same as Aye. Interjection1. Ah! alas! |
Date "AY" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Assent | Adverb: 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. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Born a commoner, Ay managed to rise through the hierarchy of Egyptian society under the "heretical" Pharaoh Akhenaten. One version of events maintains that he and his wife Tey were the parents of Akhenaten's chief wife, Nefertiti (and, incidentally, that another of their daughters, Mutnodjme, was the wife and queen of Ay's successor Horemheb). Another version suggests that he was the brother or half-brother of Tiy, Amenhotep III's queen, and thus Pharaoh Akhenaten's uncle. The two theories are not mutually exclusive, but either relationship would explain the exalted status to which Ay rose (he was styled "Fanbearer at the King's Right Hand") during Akhenaten's Amarna interlude, when the royal family turned their backs on Egypt's traditional gods and experimented, for a dozen years or so, with monotheism – an experiment that, whether out of conviction or convenience, Ay seems to have supported, at least for as long as it lasted.
Akhenaten's reign was followed by that of the boy-king Tutankhamen, who ascended to the throne at the age of nine or ten, at a time of great tension between the new monotheism and the old pantheism. He was assisted in his kingly duties by his predecessor's two closest advisors: Grand Vizier Ay and General of the Armies Horemheb. Tutankhamen's nine-year reign, largely under Ay's direction, saw the gradual return of the old gods – and, with that, the restoration of the power of the established pantheistic priesthood, who were furious at having had their influence sidestepped under Akhenaten.
Tutankhamen's untimely death at the age of 18, together with his failure to produce an heir, left a power vaccum that his Grand Vizier was quick to fill: Ay is depicted in the famous treasures of the boy king's tomb conducting the funerary rights for the deceased monarch and assuming the role of heir. The grounds on which Ay based his claim to the throne are not entirely clear. He was certainly a powerful figure under Tutankhamen, as he had been under Akhenaten: in some records he is referred to as "regent", and he had been close to the center of power for some 25 years. This was probably not enough, however, within the highly hierarchical society of Ancient Egypt, particularly at a time of upheaval and counter-reformation. To strengthen his claim, Ay appears to have married Tutankhamen's widow Ankhesenpaaten (by then known as Ankhesenamun). By then advanced in years, Ay ruled Egypt in his own right for four years, consolidating the return to the old religion that he had initiated as Tutankhamen's advisor. He was succeeded, at the end of the dynasty, by Horemheb.
One of Horemheb's undertakings as pharaoh was to attempt to eliminate all references to the monotheistic experiment, a process that included expunging the name of his immediate predecessors – Ay included – from the historical record.
Ay had tombs prepared for himself in both Amarna and Thebes. The former, still visible today, is well preserved and provides some excellent examples of the distinctive style of art that flourished during the Amarna period. It was never finished, however, or used for his burial. Ay was ultimately buried in his second tomb (designated KV23) in the western branch of the Valley of the Kings.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Ay."
Crosswords: AY |
| English words defined with "AY": Aye, Ayme ♦ It seems. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "AY" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses. Somali (it, they), Spanish (ah, alas, oh, ouch, ow, woe), Sranan (eye, yes), Tagalog (am, is), Turkish (Luna, month, moon), Wolof (some). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Ay, Mo! (The Shield; writing credit: David Benchetrit) Ay, that I can, and that I do, Danny! (The Man Who Would Be King; writing credit: Gladys Hill; John Huston) | |
Lyrics | Ay yo our chemistry (Try Again; performing artist: Aaliyah) UH AY YO YOU KNOW WHAT A DOG NEEDS (Come Back In One Piece; performing artist: Aaliyah) That's the look, that's the look, hip hip hooray, ay (The Look Of Love; performing artist: ABC) Ay yo I got a resolution (Hey Papi; performing artist: Jay-Z) Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh (Walk Like An Egyptian; performing artist: The Bangles) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Ang Langit ay para sa akin (1968) Ako ay sa iyo Ikaw ay akin (1968) Ay Chabela...! (1961) Ay... Calypso no te rajes! (1958) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Theater & Movies | |
Music |
|
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Richard Brinsley Sheridan | Ay, ay, the best terms will grow obsolete: damns have had their day. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | Ay! you had red hands in those days, mademoiselle, your hands are very white now. |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | Ay, bedad. |
King Richard III | Shakespeare, William | Ay, so we will. |
Walden | Thoreau, Henry David | Ay! there was the rub. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | SIX WAYS TO S AY N O TO A DRINK At some point, your child will be offe red alcohol. (references) | |
Jones TA, Hawrylak N, Klintsova AY, Greenough WT. Brain damage, behavior, rehabilitation, recovery and brain plasticity. (references) | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "AY" is generally used as an interjection -- approximately 99.21% of the time. "AY" is used about 252 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Interjection | 99.21% | 250 | 18,796 |
| Unclassified Items | 0.79% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Total | 100.00% | 252 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "AY": ay me! ♦ Ay mouse ♦ ay sir! ♦ for ay. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "AY": AY-9944, ay-a-tain, ay-ay-ay, ay-ee, Ay-eee. | |
Ending with "AY": i-ay. | |
Containing "AY": grar-min-ay-oos, ma-ay-jor, mony-ay-ree, Ot-ay-liya, thee-ay-tah. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
ay | 222 | ay boom de ra ra ta | 4 |
ay amor | 20 | amor ay lyrics | 4 |
ay jackson | 17 | ay spy | 4 |
ay papacito | 17 | ay carumba | 4 |
ay carmela | 12 | ay dvm63mq | 4 |
e ay | 11 | ay egypt | 4 |
ay caramba | 10 | ay villa | 4 |
ay dilber | 10 | amor ay hector tito y | 4 |
ay de el papacito video | 7 | ay monstruos | 4 |
ay mcdonald | 7 | ay papi | 3 |
ay mail | 7 | ay papacito video | 3 |
ay go let oh | 7 | ay ziggy zoomba | 3 |
ay papasito | 6 | ay dvm63pq | 3 |
eb ay | 6 | ay hombe | 3 |
ay lyrics papacito | 6 | aiken ay c | 3 |
ako ay pilipino | 6 | ay bilgisayar | 3 |
ay emin mehmet | 6 | amor ana ay gabriel | 3 |
ay transport | 6 | ay yildiz | 3 |
ay ikaw na nga sana | 5 | ay limite papacito | 3 |
ako ay lyrics pilipino | 5 | ay ziggy zoomba.com | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "AY"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | نعم (aye, refine, tenderize, yea, yes), الموافق. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | утвърдителен отговор (aye), тъй-вярно, тъй вярно (aye), глас за (aye), да (and, as to, aye, exactly, if, let, shall, that, to, yea, yep, yes, yup). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | ano (aye, granted, yea, yeah, yep, yes). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | jaa (yes). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | il est vrai que. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | כן (aye, so, thus, yeah, yep, yes). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | igenis (very good, yes), igen (aye, greatly, high, I don't mind, mightily, mighty, passing, quite, the odds are that, very, very much, yea, yeah, yep, yes), hogyne (aye, certainly, certes, definitely, very much indeed). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | voto favorevole. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | ayay vot pentru în parlament, de (about, across, against, as, because, by, for, from, if, of, on, regarding, respecting, since, to, well, with). (various references) положительный ответ (aye, positive answer, positive response), да (aye, yea, yeah, yeah particle, yep, yes). (various references) potvrdni odgovor (ay: the ayes), glas 'za'. (various references) sí (aye, herself, himself, o.k., o.s., ok, okay, okey, oneself, sure, yea, yeah, yep, yes, yourself, yourselves). (various references) ack (ah, alas, o, oh, ow), jaröst (aye, yea). (various references) คำทักทายเมื่อพบกัน (ay-up!). (various references) olumlu oy (aye), kabul oyu (acclamation, aye), hay hay (aye, can do), evet (aye, yea, yeah, yep, yes, yup). (various references) "сть (aye), так (accordingly, as, aye, sic, so, that, this, thus, yea, yeah, yep, yes), ой (oh, ouch), завжди (all along, always, anytime, anywhen, at all times, aye, ever, evermore), ах, постійно (always, at every turn, aye, constantly, continuously, frequently, invariably, permanently). (various references) phiếu đ"ng ý, câu trả lời được, câu trả lời đ"ng ý phiếu thuận. (various references) ie (yea, yes). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Date | Source | Genesis Chapter 13, Verse 3 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Kai eporeuqh oqen hlqen eiV thn erhmon ewV baiqhl ewV tou topou ou hn h skhnh autou to proteron ana meson baiqhl kai ana meson aggai |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Reversusque est per iter quo venerat a meridie in Bethel usque ad locum ubi prius fixerat tabernaculum inter Bethel et Ai |
| Old English | 990 | West Saxon | He ferde fram suðdæle, ond ferde fram stowe to stowe oð þæt he com to Bethel,] betwux Bethel ond Hai, [þær his geteld ær wæs,] |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | And he was turnyd ayen bi the weye that he come fro the sowth in Betel, vnto the place in the which biforhond he had ficchid a tabernacle, bytwix Betel and Hay, |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | And he went on his iourney fro the south even vnto BETHEL ad vnto the place where his tente was at the fyrst tyme betwene BETHEL and Ay |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai; |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | And travelling on from the South, he came to Beth-el, to the place where his tent had been before, between Beth-el and Ai; |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Genesis Chapter 13, Verse 3 |
| Cebuano | Ug siya mipadayon gikan sa habagatan hangtud sa Bethel, hangtud sa dapit nga una nga nahamutangan sa iyang balongbalong, sa taliwala sa Bethel ug Hai. |
| Croatian | Od postaje do postaje iz Negeba išao je do Betela, |
| Danish | og han vandrede fra Lejrplads til Lejrplads og nåede fra Sydlandet til Betel, til det Sted, hvor hans Teltlejr havde stået første Gang, mellem Betel og Aj, |
| Dutch | En hij ging, volgens zijn reizen, van het zuiden tot Beth-el toe, tot aan de plaats, waar zijn tent in het begin geweest was, tussen Beth-el, en tussen Ai; |
| Finnish | Ja hän vaelsi, kulkien levähdyspaikasta toiseen, Etelämaasta Beeteliin asti, aina siihen paikkaan, missä hänen majansa oli ensi kerralla ollut, Beetelin ja Ain välillä, |
| German | Und er zog immer fort von Mittag bis gen Beth-El, an die Stätte, da am ersten seine Hütte war, zwischen Beth-El und Ai, |
| Hungarian | És méne helyrõl helyre délfelõl mind Béthelig, oda a hol elõször vala az õ sátora, Béthel és Hái között. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Maka pergilah ia dari satu tempat ke tempat yang lain, menuju ke Betel. Ia sampai ke daerah di antara Betel dan Ai, di tempat keramat di mana ia dahulu berkemah |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Maka berjalanlah ia menurut jalannya yang dahulu itu dari sebelah selatan sampai ke Bait-el, yaitu tempat kemahnya pada mula-mula, antara Bait-el dengan Ai; |
| Maori | Na ka turia mai e ia, a ka haere i te tonga a tae noa ki Peteere, ki te wahi i oroko tu ai tona teneti, i waenganui o Peteere, o Hai, |
| Norwegian | Og han drog i dagsreiser fra sydlandet, til han kom til Betel, til det sted hvor hans telt før hadde vært, mellem Betel og Ai, |
| Portuguese | Nas suas jornadas subiu do Negebe para Betel, até o lugar onde outrora estivera a sua tenda, entre Betel e Ai, |
| Rumanian | Din yara dela meazqzi s`a kndreptat wi a mers pknq la Betel, pknq la locul unde fusese cortul lui la knceput, kntre Betel wi Ai, |
| Swedish | Och han färdades ifrån lägerplats till lägerplats och kom så från Sydlandet ända till Betel, till det ställe där hans tält förut hade stått, mellan Betel och Ai, |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "AY": ayah, ayahs, ayahuasca, ayahuascas, ayatollah, ayatollahs, aye, ayes, ayin, ayins, ays, ayurveda, ayurvedas. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "AY": affray, airplay, airway, aisleway, allay, alleyway, alway, antigay, anyway, archway, areaway, array, ashtray, assay, astray, away, backstay, bay, belay, beltway, benday, betray, bewray, bikeway, bioassay, birthday, bluejay, bobstay, bray, breakaway, breaksaway, breezeway, byplay, byway, cableway, caraway, carriageway, castaway, causeway, cay, chambray, chardonnay, chay, clay, cogway, companionway, counterplay, crawlway, crossway, cullay, cutaway. (additional references) | |
Words containing "AY": affrayed, affrayer, affrayers, affraying, affrays, airplays, airways, aisleways, alcayde, alcaydes, allayed, allayer, allayers, allaying, allays, alleyways, always, anyways, archways, areaways, arrayal, arrayals, arrayed, arrayer, arrayers, arraying, arrays, ashtrays, assayed, assayer, assayers, assaying, assays, atalaya, atalayas, awayness, awaynesses, backstays, ballplayer, ballplayers, bayadeer, bayadeers, bayadere, bayaderes, bayamo, bayamos, bayard, bayards, bayberries, bayberry, bayed. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: ya. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-y" | |
+1 letter: aby, any, aye, ays, bay, cay, day, fay, gay, hay, jay, kay, lay, may, nay, pay, pya, ray, rya, say, way, yah, yak, yam, yap, yar, yaw, yay, yea. | |
+2 letters: ably, abye, abys, achy, acyl, aery, agly, ahoy, airy, alky, ally, amyl, army, arty, aryl, ashy, away, awny, awry, ayah, ayes, ayin, baby, bays, bray, cagy, caky, cavy, cays, chay, clay, cyan, cyma, davy, days, dray, dyad, easy, eyas, eyra, fays, flay, fray, gaby, gamy, gapy, gays, gray, hays, hazy, hoya, hyla, jays, kayo, kays, kyak, kyar, kyat, lacy, lady, laky, lays, lazy, many, maya, mayo, mays, mazy, myna, nary, navy, nays, ofay, okay, paly, paty, pays, play, pray, pyas, quay, racy, raya, rays, ryas, sagy, says, shay, slay, soya, spay, stay, sway, tray, vary, wady, waly, wany, wary, wavy, waxy, ways, yack, yaff, yagi, yaks, yald, yams, yang, yank, yaps, yard, yare, yarn, yaud, yaup, yawl, yawn, yawp, yaws, yays, yeah, yean, year, yeas, yoga, yuan, yuca, yuga, zany. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Modern 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Quotations: Familiar 6. Quotations: Fiction 7. Quotations: Non-fiction 8. Usage Frequency | 9. Expressions 10. Expressions: Internet 11. Translations: Modern 12. Bible Trace | 13. Derivations 14. Anagrams 15. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
