A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Nay, v. Also inflected: nais, nait, nayt. [ME. nay(e, naie(n (14th c.), e.m.E. nay: cf. Nay adv., OF. neier, nier to deny or refuse (mod. nier) and Ne v.]Common in Inverness Rec. 1556–1613, otherwise found only in a few texts c 1550–65.
1. tr. To deny or dissent from (an assertion); (in Inverness) to deny or repudiate (an accusation or allegation or something imputed to one), also absol. b. intr. To dissent to, express disagreement to (a proposed course of action).c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 719.
First I rehersit Thamar and Raab plane And Bersabe the quhilk ȝe can not nay [: lay, say, twa, may] War all of sport ladeis venereane 1556 Inverness Rec. I. i.
[They] nayt the injust … intromission of the said bot be Necoll Kar 1557 Ib. 9. 1559 Ib. 32. 1559 Ib. 37.
The forsaidis personis … nayt the puntis of the forsaid precep 1560 Ib. 45.
Quhilkis the sade Ellyn nayit allutirle that she coft onne fra hyr 1561 Ib. 61. 1561 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 70. 1561 Inverness Rec. I. 61.
As to the second poyntt, I nay it utterlie that the samin can ever be verefeit Ib. 62.
Nays 1562 Ib. 98.
Nait 1562–3 Ib. 101. 1567 Ib. 150. 1568–9 Ib. 174. 1576 Ib. 250.
And nayis the rest of the brocht 1585 Ib. 300. 1613 Ib. II. 112.absol. 1603 Inverness Rec. II. 18.
Johne McMiller nais and Duncan McFerquhar naisb. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1252.
To this gude wemen will not nay, na tyme nor tyde
2. tr. To refuse (something requested) to another.1560 Rolland Seven S. 9200.
Gif I had nayit to him battall 1562 Cal. Sc. P. I. 684.
[Having made] gryt instance [that I may recommend his present estate to your honour, which I will not] nay [him]
