Plural of aye, meaning affirmative votes or responses. Commonly used in parliamentary procedure when calling for votes.
From Middle English 'ay' meaning 'yes,' possibly from Old Norse 'ei' (always, ever). The parliamentary usage developed from the simple affirmative response becoming formalized in voting procedures.
The phrase 'the ayes have it' echoes through centuries of democratic decision-making. In the British Parliament, voices literally call out 'aye' or 'no,' with the Speaker judging which side sounds louder - a surprisingly acoustic approach to democracy.
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