ēiă (in MSS. also hēiă), interj. [εἴα].
I An expression of joy or of pleased surprise.
A In admiring an object, ah! ah ha! indeed! Plaut. Rud. 2, 4, 8; id. Men. 2, 3, 30; Ter. Heaut. 1063; 521.—
B In gentle remonstrance or persuasion, ah! come! heia, mea Juno, non decet te, etc., Plaut. Cas. 2, 3, 14; id. Truc. 4, 2, 8; id. Bacch. 4, 3, 16; 3, 3, 4; Ter. Eun. 1065: heia quam ferocula est! Turp. ap. Non. p. 75, 30 (Rib. Fragm. Com. p. 98).—
C In strong affirmation, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 40; id. Bacch. 1, 1, 43; and so ironically: eia credo, id. Capt. 5, 2, 9.—
D With vero , ironically, expressing amused doubt of what has been said, pshaw! Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 77; id. Mil. 4, 4, 5; id. Rud. 2, 3, 9; Cic. Rep. 3, 5.—
II Of impatient exhortation, ho! quick! come on! Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 71; Plin. Ep. 4, 29; Verg. A. 9, 38; Hor. S. 1, 1, 18; 2, 6, 23; in the combination: eia age, come then! up then! Verg. A. 4, 569; Stat. Ach. 2, 198; id. Silv. 1, 2, 266.