aye aye, sir

• aye, aye, sir; aye-aye, sir
• aye, aye, Sir; aye-aye, Sir; aye aye, Sir

• Audio (General Australian):

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aye aye, sir

1. (idiomatic, nautical) The correct and seamanlike reply, onboard a Royal Navy (or US Navy) ship, on receipt of an order from someone of senior rank or authority. It means "I understand the command and hasten to comply with the order."
   • 1913 June–December, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Wreck of the ‘Lady Alice’”, in The Return of Tarzan, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, […], published March 1915, →OCLC, page 172:

     “I fear that there is something more serious than accident here, Mr. Brently,” said the captain. “I wish that you would make a personal and very careful examination of Mr. Caldwell’s effects, to ascertain if there is any clew to a motive either for suicide or murder—sift the thing to the bottom.” “Aye, aye, sir!” responded Mr. Brently, and left to commence his investigation.

• ahoy – where one reply to this hail is aye aye
• aye-aye – a type of lemur