Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. used interrogatively, as a request for the repetition or explanation of something that has just been said, i.e. ‘What did you say?’.

1837		T. Bacon Impressions in Hindostan II 149: Eh? What’s that, Sackville? butter? delicious butter? snowy peaks?
1876		C. Hindley Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack 257: I say, Master Cheap Jack, how much do you want for that article inside, eh?
1895		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden Explains 101: She’d yell murder when she’d jolt her conk. Eh? Don’t you cop dat: ‘jolt her conk?’ Why, dat’s bump her head.
1968		A. Buzo Norm and Ahmed (1973) 17: Eh, come on Ahmed, now don’t have a wetty. No offence meant. You’re not angry, are you? Eh?

2. used to encourage affirmation, i.e. ‘don’t/wouldn’t you agree?’ .

1845		J. Lindridge Sixteen-String Jack 83: If I ain’t blastedly mistaken, he’ll wake up with a prime pair of mahogany-framed eyes in the morning, eh?
1851		G. Thompson Jack Harold 38: A young gallows bird, eh? – a marked criminal, eh?
1864		Derby Day 57: ‘I feel confoundedly dull, and I was just wishing for someone to rouse me up a little.’ ‘Unhinged, eh?’.
1887		F. Francis Jr Saddle and Mocassin 120: Ain’t we struck it big, eh?
1905		Sporting Times 1 Apr. 1/1: He had no alternative but to dispatch a wayside lout to the nearest pub. for a tankard of petrol. ‘Oh, for the Bishop of ——, eh?’ sneered the bung.
1917		Union Jack 5 May 18: And he did ’em down, eh? How?
1929		J.B. Priestley Good Companions 618: Trouble-and-strife, eh? Bad, eh?
1931		O. Strange Law O’ The Lariat 120: ‘D’yu reckon yu could find a bottle o’ whiskey?’ [...] ‘Dutch courage, eh?’.
1943		R. Llewellyn None But the Lonely Heart 242: Would you bleeding well adam and eve it, eh?
1951		D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 15: Down on your luck, eh?
1962		A. Wesker Chips with Everything I vii: Aren’t they living it up, just, eh?
1979		T. Rhone Old Story Time I i: george: [...] My boy won the hundreds. len: Chip off the old block, eh?
1989		Beano Comic Library No. 176 52: A grass, eh? A tittle-tattle, eh?
1995		D. Lodge Therapy (1996) 91: Those were the days, Philip, eh?
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 73: eh? Interrogative or emphasising add-on at the end of sentences, possibly from the Maori ne, perhaps indicating a national uncertainty or need for reassurance or agreement ANZ.
2003		N. Griffiths Stump 93: Should a brought some rolls an some brown sauce. Could’ve had a crackin friggin barbie, lar, eh?