---
title: nay — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «nay» in the school dictionary: Nay means «no». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# nay

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** lord, vote, task, you, senators, we · **What happens:** mean, use, add, be, say, not go · **To what, where:** stronger word, that, no vote, knight, ten yeas, King James Bible · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«nay» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [nay in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nay.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: old-fashioned — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nay means «no».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:m1:1
# text = Nay means «no».
1	Nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent no=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nay is used to add a stronger word: «It was hard, nay, impossible», meaning «not only that, but even».

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:m2:1
# text = Nay is used to add a stronger word: «It was hard, nay, impossible», meaning «not only that, but even».
1	Nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	add	add	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	stronger	strong	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	amod	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	expl	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	13	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	impossible	impossible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	parataxis	_	_
21	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	24	advmod	_	_
23	only	only	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	_
24	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
26	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
27	even	even	ADV	RB	_	28	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V» |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  | a stronger word |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Patient |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | past |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **mean** | gerund |  | that |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A nay is a «no» vote, as in «the ayes and the nays».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:m3:1
# text = A nay is a «no» vote, as in «the ayes and the nays».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
2	nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	8	discourse	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	no	no	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	vote	vote	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	ayes	ay	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	appos	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	nays	nay	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | a no vote |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Nay, my lord,» said the knight, «I will not go.»

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:x1:1
# text = «Nay, my lord,» said the knight, «I will not go.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	lord	lord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	knight	knight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | my lord | the knight |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **go** *in a quote* | future | my lord *= lord* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The vote was ten yeas and four nays.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:x2:1
# text = The vote was ten yeas and four nays.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vote	vote	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	yeas	yea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	nays	nay	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the vote | ten yeas and four nays |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The task was difficult, nay, impossible.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:x3:1
# text = The task was difficult, nay, impossible.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	task	task	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	difficult	difficult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	impossible	impossible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the task |  |  |  |  | difficult *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the task *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the King James Bible: «Let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay.»

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:x4:1
# text = In the King James Bible: «Let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay.»
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
4	James	James	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	yea	yea	INTJ	UH	_	8	discourse	_	_
11	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	cop	_	_
12	yea	yea	INTJ	UH	_	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
18	nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	16	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | the King James Bible |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The senators shouted «nay!».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:x5:1
# text = The senators shouted «nay!».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	senators	senator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | the senators |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whether you say yea or nay, we must decide tonight.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:x6:1
# text = Whether you say yea or nay, we must decide tonight.
1	Whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
4	yea	yea	INTJ	UH	_	3	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
8	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	decide	decide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
11	tonight	tonight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent yea=Topic |
| 2 | **decide** | must | we |  |  |  | tonight |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Nay,” purred Bagheera, “that may not be.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nay:x7:1
# text = “Nay,” purred Bagheera, “that may not be.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Nay	nay	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
5	purred	purr	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	Bagheera	Bagheera	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	12	nsubj	_	_
10	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	be	be	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **purr** | participle |  | Bagheera |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bagheera=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **be** *in a quote* | may | that |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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