ahoy
interjectionverbnounattested in dialogue
- //əˈhɔɪ//
Used to hail a ship, a boat or a person, or to attract attention.
interjection
- 1
Used to hail a ship, a boat or a person, or to attract attention.
While he was thus occupied, a voice, still more uncouth than the former, bawled aloud, ‘Ho! the house, a-hoy!’
I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.
“(grunts) Frankie put glass in the piccata and the restaurant comped us, so we got all these chips. Let's hit the casino.” “All right.” “Come on, Nadia. Let's go watch this Rat Pack show with the girls.” “Did you say "the Rat Pack"?” “Yeah, they're good.” “They're here?” “Yeah, yeah, it's the Rat Pack.” “Chips ahoy!”
- 2
Warning of something approaching or impending.
Lawsuits, ahoy! […] Towns can regulate use of their beaches. But what about the waters offshore?
Catalytic converters ahoy – Zeppelin's latest is one of those high-rev 3D driving games that simulates racing tracks from all over the world.
Etymology
From a- + hoy (a nautical call used in hauling), from Middle English hoy (interjection), a greeting dating back to the fourteenth century. Compare Dutch hoi (“hi!, hello!”).
verb
- 1
To hail with a cry of "ahoy".
noun
- 1
An utterance of this interjection.
There were many ahoys heard from the approaching ship.
Forms
- plural
- ahoys
- past tense
- ahoyed
- past participle
- ahoyed
- present participle
- ahoying
- third person singular
- ahoys
ahoy · Used to hail a ship, a boat or a person, or to attract attention.
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