English

Alternative forms

• naysay

Noun

nay-say ‎(plural nay-says)

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

     "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, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
• “naysay” in Microsoft's Encarta World English Dictionary, North American Edition (2007)
• Oxford English Dictionary, second edition (1989)
• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996)