Legal Definitions - yea and nay

Definition: Yea and nay (yay / nay) means yes and no. In old records, this was a simple way of saying yes or no without having to swear an oath.

• When asked if he wanted to go to the party, John replied with a yea or nay.
• The council members voted with a yea or nay on the proposed law.

These examples show how yea and nay can be used to indicate a simple yes or no answer without any additional explanation or justification. It was a common way of expressing agreement or disagreement in the past, especially in official settings like government meetings.