Hypertext Webster Gateway: "aye"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Aye \Aye\, Ay \Ay\, adv. [Icel. ei, ey; akin to AS. [=a],
[=a]wa, always, Goth. aiws an age, Icel. [ae]fi, OHG, ?wa, L.
aevum, Gr. ? an age, ?, ?, ever, always, G. je, Skr. ?va
course. ?,?. Cf. {Age}, v., {Either}, a., {Or}, conj.]
Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time.
For his mercies aye endure. --Milton.
{For aye}, {always}; forever; eternally.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Aye \Aye\, Ay \Ay\, adv. [Perh. a modification of yea, or from
the interjection of admiration or astonishment, OE. ei, ey,
why, hey, ay, well, ah, ha. Cf. MHG. & G. ei, Dan. ej. Or
perh. akin to aye ever.]
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.
Note: This word is written I in the early editions of
Shakespeare and other old writers.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Aye \Aye\, n.
An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as,
``To call for the ayes and noes;'' ``The ayes have it.''
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