Definition of the word may

1

a


—used to indicate possibility or probability

you may be rightthings you may need

—sometimes used interchangeably with can

one of those slipups that may happen from time to time—Jessica Mitford

—sometimes used where might would be expected

you may think from a little distance that the country was solid woods—Robert Frost

b

: have permission to

: be free to

a rug on which children may sprawl—C. E. Silberman


—used nearly interchangeably with can

c

archaic

: have the ability to

2


—used in auxiliary function expressing purpose or expectation

I laugh that I may not weep

or contingency

she’ll do her duty come what may

or concession

he may be slow but he is thorough

or choice

the angler may catch them with a dip net, or he may cast a large, bare treble hook—Nelson Bryant

3


—used in auxiliary function to express a wish or desire especially in prayer, imprecation, or benediction

4

: shall, must

—used in law where the sense, purpose, or policy requires this interpretation


Can vs. May: Usage Guide

Can and may are most frequently interchangeable in uses denoting possibility; because the possibility of one’s doing something may depend on another’s acquiescence, they have also become interchangeable in the sense denoting permission. The use of can to ask or grant permission has been common since the 19th century and is well established, although some commentators feel may is more appropriate in formal contexts. May is relatively rare in negative constructions (mayn’t is not common); cannot and can’t are usual in such contexts.

2

often not capitalized

: the early vigorous blooming part of human life : prime

4



not capitalized

a

: green or flowering branches used for May Day decorations

b

: a plant that yields may: such as

(2)

: a spring-flowering spirea

Example Sentences

Noun (2)



Shakespeare called it “the merry month of May.”



The last two Mays have been cold and rainy.

Recent Examples on the Web



The dress and its light floral print matched the devil-may-care actor’s attitude, but the matching dominatrix cuissardes packed the harshness of the House.


—Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 23 May 2022




Akiyama is expected to return to the MLB roster in early-to-mid-may.


—Charlie Goldsmith, The Enquirer, 25 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘may.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Auxiliary verb

Middle English (1st & 3rd singular present indicative), from Old English mæg; akin to Old High German mag (1st & 3rd singular present indicative) have power, am able (infinitive magan), and perhaps to Greek mēchos means, expedient

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English mǣg kinsman, kinswoman, maiden

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French mai, from Latin Maius, from Maia, Roman goddess

First Known Use

Auxiliary Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of may was
before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near may

Cite this Entry

“May.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/may. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

Источник

  • Top Definitions
  • Quiz
  • Related Content
  • May Vs. Might
  • More About May
  • Examples
  • British
  • Idioms And Phrases

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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person may,2nd may or (Archaic) may·est or mayst,3rd may;present plural may;past might.

(used to express possibility): It may rain.

(used to express opportunity or permission): You may enter.

(used to express contingency, especially in clauses indicating condition, concession, purpose, result, etc.): I may be wrong but I think you would be wise to go. Times may change but human nature stays the same.

(used to express wish or prayer): May you live to an old age.

Archaic. (used to express ability or power.)

QUIZ

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Which sentence is correct?

Origin of may

1

before 900; Middle English mai 1st and 3rd person singular present indicative of mouen,Old English mæg (infinitive magan); cognate with German mögen

words often confused with may

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH may

1. can, may (see confusables note at can)2. may , might

Words nearby may

Maxwell, James Clerk, Maxwell Montes, Maxwell’s demon, Maxwell’s equations, Maxwell’s field equations, may, maya, Mayagüez, Mayakovski, Mayan, May apple

Other definitions for may (2 of 3)

Origin of may

2

before 900; Middle English mai;Old English mæg

Other definitions for may (3 of 3)

noun

the fifth month of the year, containing 31 days.

the early part of one’s life, especially the prime: a young woman in her May.

(lowercase)British. the hawthorn.

a female given name.

Cape, a cape at the SE tip of New Jersey, on Delaware Bay.

verb (used without object)

(lowercase) to gather flowers in the spring: when we were maying.

Origin of May

before 1050; Middle English, Old English Maius<Latin, short for Maius mēnsis Maia’s month

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MAY VS. MIGHT

What’s the difference between may and might?

May and might can both be used as auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) that express possibility, as in We may/might have some left—let me check.

Traditionally, might is considered a weaker form of may—meaning that it expresses a lower degree of possibility that something will happen. Some people might intend to use the two words this way, but in practical terms they are often interchangeable when used in this sense—they usually mean just about the same thing.

May and might can also both be used in the context of permission, often as what’s thought to be a more polite substitute for can, as in May/Might I use your restroom? In responses to such questions, it’s usually may that’s used, as in Yes, you may. Saying might in such responses is often meant to make fun of such a use of the word in a way that’s sarcastic or that introduces a condition, usually one that’s not serious, as in Yes, you might, if you knew the password.

May is sometimes used to express a wish, as in May you have success.

Might is sometimes used to express advisability, as in You might ask before you barge in, you know.

In its auxiliary verb sense, might can also be used as the past tense of may. It may seem strange to express possibility in the past tense (now that it is known whether or not something happened), but there are plenty of cases in which it makes sense to do it, such as when it’s still uncertain whether or not something could have happened, as in He might have had a chance to become CEO, but he decided to retire early or She might have come if you had actually invited her. Of course, the word may can also be used in the same way to indicate past tense (She may have come if you had actually invited her).

Here’s an example of may and might used correctly in a sentence.

Example: We might have been able to go today if it hadn’t rained, but in any case we may try to go again tomorrow.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between may and might.

Quiz yourself on may vs. might!

Should may or might be used in the following sentence?

_____ you have a long and happy life!

MORE ABOUT MAY

What is May?

May is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It has 31 days and is between April and June.

In the Northern Hemisphere, May happens during the spring, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it happens during the autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere, the temperature generally rises throughout the month, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it generally lowers.

May is also often used as a given name, much like April, June, and August. It is typically a given name for women.

When lowercased, may is an auxiliary verb with several meanings. An auxiliary verb helps express grammatical tense, aspect, and mood. May can also indicate permission is requested or granted, as in May I have a cookie? May can also indicate possibility, as in It may rain today.

Might is the past tense form of the verb may.

Example: May is frustrating because it isn’t cold enough to be winter but it isn’t hot enough yet to be summer.

Where does May come from?

The first records of the noun May come from before 1050. It comes from the Latin Maius mēnsis, meaning “Maia’s month.” The first records of the verb may come from before 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English maeg.

Both the Greeks and Romans have a goddess named Maia. The Greek Maia is primarily associated with motherhood and nursing mothers, while the Roman Maia is the goddess of growth and maturing.

You may have heard that you shouldn’t use can to ask permission, as in Can I go outside to play? This rule has largely fallen out of fashion, however, except in the most formal writing. You may use can to ask permission.

Did you know … ?

What are some words that share a root or word element with May? 

  • Maia

What are some words that often get used in discussing May?

  • autumn
  • day
  • growth
  • spring

How is May used in real life?

May is a very common word, as the name of a month and for a person and as a verb.

I feel like this gone be a great month of May!

— Gucci Mane (@gucci1017) May 1, 2018

It’s May Day, my day. May the force of May be with you.

— James May (@MrJamesMay) May 1, 2016

Happy #MothersDay to my glorious generous glamorous selfless mother Beverly
I know we will celebrate Mother’s Day in May but even on UK Mother’s Day….there is not enough space to pay tribute to every way in which you inspire me. I love you mum.

— Danielle de Niese (@Danielledeniese) March 12, 2018

Try using May!

True or False? 

May is named after the Roman goddess of growth, Maia.

Words related to may

How to use may in a sentence

  • A Customs and Border Protection staffer told top administration officials Thursday the agency is projecting a peak of 13,000 unaccompanied children crossing the border in May, sources directly familiar with the discussion told Axios.

  • The earliest that could happen is May — too late, say landlords, who argue that without access to the court, they can’t remove bad or violent tenants putting other residents at risk.

  • Earlier this month, Moore announced that in May he would end his four-year tenure at the New York City-based Robin Hood Foundation, a nonprofit group that works on anti-poverty measures.

  • China’s first trip to Mars will also attempt the difficult task of landing sometime in May or June.

  • Carolyn LydenDirector of Search ContentGoogle told site owners in May that Core Web Vitals would become part of its algorithms in 2021, and most SEOs have been working to improve their metrics before the launch.

  • Willie Nelson and Norah Jones May-December fireplace flirting.

  • Under the strain of that feeling, many single men through the ages have adopted a devil-may-care attitude.

  • Can you imagine Walters, his executive-producing partner, post-May 16, lurking with him behind the cameras?

  • Jollity and gloom were contending for an empire,” wrote Nathaniel Hawthorne in his story “The May-Pole of Merry Mount.

  • Then will come mid-May, when Congress needs to raise the debt ceiling again.

  • His attitude was somewhat devil-may-care, his grip on life itself seemed slipping.

  • In certain moods he possessed that dash and devil-may-care air which pleases most women, providing the man is a cosmopolitan.

  • I recollect your ‘May-day in the morning’—cuss me, the best comick song I ever heard.

  • On dark cold windy days, during the May-fly season you will find the small fly a much better killer than the May-fly.

  • May-be you expected to have a china bowl and pitcher in your room, and somebody to empty your slop.

British Dictionary definitions for may (1 of 5)

verb past might (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive used as an auxiliary)

to indicate that permission is requested by or granted to someonehe may go to the park tomorrow if he behaves himself

(often foll by well) to indicate possibilitythe rope may break; he may well be a spy

to indicate ability or capacity, esp in questionsmay I help you?

to express a strong wishlong may she reign

to indicate result or purpose: used only in clauses introduced by that or so thathe writes so that the average reader may understand

to express courtesy in a questionwhose child may this little girl be?

be that as it may in spite of that: a sentence connector conceding the possible truth of a previous statement and introducing an adversative clausebe that as it may, I still think he should come

come what may whatever happens

that’s as may be (foll by a clause introduced by but) that may be so

Word Origin for may

Old English mæg, from magan: compare Old High German mag, Old Norse mā

usage for may

It was formerly considered correct to use may rather than can when referring to permission as in: you may use the laboratory for your experiments, but this use of may is now almost entirely restricted to polite questions such as: may I open the window? The use of may with if in constructions such as: your analysis may have been more more credible if … is generally regarded as incorrect, might being preferred: your analysis might have been more credible if …

British Dictionary definitions for may (2 of 5)

Word Origin for may

Old English mæg; related to Old High German māg kinsman, Old Norse māgr a relative by marriage

British Dictionary definitions for may (3 of 5)

Word Origin for may

C16: from the month of May, when it flowers

British Dictionary definitions for may (4 of 5)

noun

the fifth month of the year, consisting of 31 days

Word Origin for May

from Old French, from Latin Maius, probably from Maia, Roman goddess, identified with the Greek goddess Maia

British Dictionary definitions for may (5 of 5)

noun

Robert McCredie, Baron. born 1936, Australian biologist and ecologist

Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with may

see be that as it may; come what may; let the chips fall where they may; to whom it may concern.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Источник

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • enPR: mā, IPA(key): /meɪ/
  • Rhymes: -eɪ

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English mowen, mayen, moȝen, maȝen, from Old English magan, from Proto-West Germanic *magan, from Proto-Germanic *maganą, from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ-.

Cognate with Dutch mag (“may”, first and third-person singular of mogen (“to be able to, be allowed to, may”)), Low German mögen, German mag (“like”, first and third-person singular of mögen (“to like, want, require”)), Swedish må, Icelandic mega, megum. See also might.

Verb[edit]

may (third-person singular simple present may, no present participle, simple past might, no past participle)

  1. (obsolete, intransitive) To be strong; to have power (over). [8th–17th c.]
  2. (obsolete, auxiliary) To be able; can. [8th–17th c.]

    • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 6:

      But many times […] we give way to passions we may resist and will not.

  3. (intransitive, poetic) To be able to go. [from 9th c.]
  4. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests. [from 9th c.]

    you may smoke outside;  may I sit there?

    Synonyms: can, could, might
  5. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) Expressing a present possibility; possibly. [from 13th c.]

    he may be lying;  Schrödinger’s cat may or may not be in the box

    • 2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2-2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:

      The result may not quite give the Wearsiders a sweet ending to what has been a sour week, following allegations of sexual assault and drug possession against defender Titus Bramble, but it does at least demonstrate that their spirit remains strong in the face of adversity.

    • 2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68:

      Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.

    Synonyms: could, might
  6. (subjunctive present, defective) Expressing a wish (with present subjunctive effect). [from 16th c.]

    may you win;  may the weather be sunny

    • 1974, Bob Dylan (lyrics and music), “Forever Young”, in Planet Waves:

      May God bless and keep you always / May your wishes all come true / May you always do for others / And let others do for you / May you build a ladder to the stars / And climb on every rung / May you stay forever young

    Synonym: might
  7. Used in modesty, courtesy, or concession, or to soften a question or remark.

    • 1744 [1720], Matthew Prior, “Phillis’s age”, in Joe Miller’s Jests‎[1], seventh edition:

      How old may Phillis be, you ask, / Whose Beauty thus all Hearts engages.

Usage notes[edit]
  • May is now a defective verb. It has no infinitive, no past participle, and no future tense. Forms of to be allowed to are used to replace these missing tenses.
  • The simple past (both indicative and subjunctive) of may is might.
  • The present tense is negated as may not, which can be contracted to mayn’t, although this is old-fashioned; the simple past is negated as might not, which can be contracted to mightn’t.
  • May has archaic second-person singular present forms mayest and mayst.
  • Usage of this word in the sense of possibly is considered incorrect by some speakers and writers, as it blurs the meaning of the word in the sense have permission to. These speakers and writers prefer to use the word might instead.
  • Conversely, since may not is particularly likely to promote confusion between the senses of «will possibly not» and «is forbidden to,» some rules for the drafting of laws and regulations proscribe «may not» and require the use of «must not» or similar for clarity. Example: [2]
  • Wishes are often cast in the imperative rather than the subjunctive mood, not using the word may, as in Have a great day! rather than May you have a great day. The use of may for this purpose may lend a more formal, literary, or solemn feeling (perhaps jocularly so) to the wish. Moreover, wishes in the subjunctive need not use may if the meaning is clear without it, which is the case mainly for established expressions in the third-person singular such as God help you.
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

have permission to

  • American Sign Language: S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown
  • Arabic: اِسْتَطَاعَ‎ (ar) (istaṭāʕa), مُمْكِن‎ (mumkin, literally “possible”)
  • Bulgarian: мога (bg) (moga), имам възможност (imam vǎzmožnost)
  • Catalan: poder (ca)
  • Chinese:
    • Cantonese: 可以 (ho2 ji5)
    • Mandarin: 可以 (zh) (kěyǐ)
  • Czech: smět (cs)
  • Danish: må (da)
  • Dutch: mogen (nl)
  • Esperanto: rajti (eo)
  • Finnish: voida (fi), saada (fi)
  • French: pouvoir (fr)
  • Galician: poder (gl), valer (gl)
  • German: dürfen (de), können (de)
  • Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌰𐌽 (binauhan)
  • Greek: μπορώ (el) (boró), επιτρέπεται (el) (epitrépetai)
  • Hungarian: szabad (hu), -hat (hu), -het (hu)
  • Icelandic: mega (is)
  • Indonesian: boleh (id), dapat (id), bisa (id)
  • Italian: potere (it)
  • Japanese: してもいい (shite mo ii)
  • Korean: 할 수 있다 (hal su itda)
  • Latin: possum (la), (use the subjunctive tense of the verb that follows) sim (la), mihi licet, licet
  • Latvian: drīkstēt
  • Malay: boleh
  • Ngazidja Comorian: ukaya na ruhusa
  • Norwegian: kan (no), få (no), må (no)
  • Old English: magan, mōtan
  • Persian: توانستن‎ (fa) (tavânestan)
  • Polish: móc (pl)
  • Portuguese: poder (pt)
  • Romanian: putea (ro)
  • Russian: мочь (ru) (močʹ), мо́жно (ru) (móžno) (predicative)
  • Slovak: smieť
  • Sorbian:
    Upper Sorbian: (ip) směć (hsb)
  • Spanish: poder (es)
  • Swedish: få (sv), kunna (sv), kan (sv)
  • Tagalog: maaari (tl), puwede
  • Vietnamese: được phép
  • Walloon: poleur (wa)
  • Welsh: cael (cy)

possibly, but not certainly

  • American Sign Language: S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown
  • Catalan: potser (ca) (followed by «que» and then the subjunctive)
  • Chinese:
    Cantonese: 可能 (ho2 nang4)
    Mandarin: 可能 (zh) (kěnéng)
  • Czech: (please verify) moci (cs) (moct)
  • Danish: måske (da)
  • Dutch: (please verify) misschien (nl)
  • Finnish: voida (fi), saattaa (fi), taitaa (fi)
  • French: peut-être (fr), se pouvoir (impersonal, third-person singular)
  • Galician: pode ser
  • Greek: ίσως (el) (ísos), μάλλον (el) (mállon)
    Ancient: (optative mood +) ἄν (án)
  • Hebrew: עשוי‎ (‘asúi)
  • Hungarian: lehet (hu), lehetséges (hu), előfordulhat
  • Icelandic: geta (is) (in the past subjunctive)
  • Indonesian: mungkin (id), barangkali (id), bisa jadi (id), bisa saja
  • Italian: (please verify) forse (it), (please verify) può essere che + subjunctive
  • Japanese: 多分 (ja) (たぶん, tabun), かも知れない (かもしれない, kamo shirenai)
  • Latin: (use the subjunctive tense of the verb that follows) sim (la)
  • Malay: mungkin (ms), boleh jadi
  • Norwegian: kan være, also expressed with adv. kanskje (no)
  • Persian: شایَد‎ (fa) (šâyad)
  • Polish: móc (pl), możliwe, że
  • Portuguese: talvez (pt), poder (pt)
  • Romanian: se poate
  • Russian: (please verify) мо́жет быть (ru) (móžet bytʹ, literally “may be”), (please verify) мочь (ru) (močʹ)
  • Spanish: quizás (es), tal vez (es), poder ser
  • Swedish: kan (sv), kanske (sv), må (sv)
  • Tagalog: maaari (tl), puwede
  • Thai: อาจ (th) (àat)
  • Vietnamese: có lẽ (vi)

subjunctive

  • Czech: nechť (cs)
  • Dutch: mogen (nl)
  • French: que (fr) + [noun phrase] + subjunctive (verb)
  • Hungarian: -j (assimilated after certain endings)
  • Italian: use subjunctive of potere (it)
  • Latin: (use the subjunctive tense of the verb that follows) sim (la)
  • Nahuatl: mā
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: måtte (no)
  • Polish: żeby (pl), oby (pl), niechaj (pl), niech (pl), bodaj (pl), bogdaj (Old Polish)
  • Portuguese: que (pt)
  • Romanian: să (ro)
  • Serbo-Croatian: dàbōgda (sh)
  • Spanish: que (es), ojalá que
  • Swedish: må (sv)

See also[edit]

  • Appendix:English modal verbs
  • Appendix:English tag questions

Etymology 2[edit]

French mai, so called because it blossoms in the month of May.

Noun[edit]

may (uncountable)

  1. The hawthorn bush or its blossoms.
Derived terms[edit]
  • Italian may
  • mayhaw
Translations[edit]

the hawthorn bush or its blossom

Verb[edit]

may (third-person singular simple present mays, present participle maying, simple past and past participle mayed)

  1. (poetic, intransitive) To gather may, or flowers in general.
  2. (poetic, intransitive) To celebrate May Day.

Etymology 3[edit]

Shortening of maid, from maiden.

Noun[edit]

may (plural mays)

  1. (archaic) A maiden.

Anagrams[edit]

  • Amy, MYA, Mya, Yam, mya, yam

Azerbaijani[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

may (definite accusative mayı, plural maylar)

  1. May

Declension[edit]

    Declension of may
singular plural
nominative may maylar
definite accusative mayı mayları
dative maya maylara
locative mayda maylarda
ablative maydan maylardan
definite genitive mayın mayların
    Possessive forms of may
nominative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) mayım maylarım
sənin (“your”) mayın mayların
onun (“his/her/its”) mayı mayları
bizim (“our”) mayımız maylarımız
sizin (“your”) mayınız maylarınız
onların (“their”) mayı or mayları mayları
accusative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) mayımı maylarımı
sənin (“your”) mayını maylarını
onun (“his/her/its”) mayını maylarını
bizim (“our”) mayımızı maylarımızı
sizin (“your”) mayınızı maylarınızı
onların (“their”) mayını or maylarını maylarını
dative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) mayıma maylarıma
sənin (“your”) mayına maylarına
onun (“his/her/its”) mayına maylarına
bizim (“our”) mayımıza maylarımıza
sizin (“your”) mayınıza maylarınıza
onların (“their”) mayına or maylarına maylarına
locative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) mayımda maylarımda
sənin (“your”) mayında maylarında
onun (“his/her/its”) mayında maylarında
bizim (“our”) mayımızda maylarımızda
sizin (“your”) mayınızda maylarınızda
onların (“their”) mayında or maylarında maylarında
ablative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) mayımdan maylarımdan
sənin (“your”) mayından maylarından
onun (“his/her/its”) mayından maylarından
bizim (“our”) mayımızdan maylarımızdan
sizin (“your”) mayınızdan maylarınızdan
onların (“their”) mayından or maylarından maylarından
genitive
singular plural
mənim (“my”) mayımın maylarımın
sənin (“your”) mayının maylarının
onun (“his/her/its”) mayının maylarının
bizim (“our”) mayımızın maylarımızın
sizin (“your”) mayınızın maylarınızın
onların (“their”) mayının or maylarının maylarının

See also[edit]

  • (Gregorian calendar months) ay; yanvar, fevral, mart, aprel, may, iyun, iyul, avqust, sentyabr, oktyabr, noyabr, dekabr (Category: az:Months)

Bikol Central[edit]

Verb[edit]

may

  1. there is
  2. to have

Synonyms[edit]

  • igwa

Antonyms[edit]

  • mayo
  • wara

Crimean Tatar[edit]

Noun[edit]

may

  1. butter, oil

Declension[edit]

Declension of may

nominative may
genitive maynıñ
dative mayğa
accusative maynı
locative mayda
ablative maydan

Synonyms[edit]

  • yağ

Kalasha[edit]

Determiner[edit]

may

  1. my

Pronoun[edit]

may

  1. me

Mapudungun[edit]

Adverb[edit]

may (Raguileo spelling)

  1. yes

References[edit]

  • Wixaleyiñ: Mapucezugun-wigkazugun pici hemvlcijka (Wixaleyiñ: Small Mapudungun-Spanish dictionary), Beretta, Marta; Cañumil, Dario; Cañumil, Tulio, 2008.

Northern Kurdish[edit]

Noun[edit]

may m

  1. intervention

Derived terms[edit]

  • mayê xwe tê dan
  • maytêder
  • maytêderî
  • maytêker
  • maytêkerî
  • mayê xwe tê kirin

Pacoh[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Katuic *maj, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *mi[i]ʔ.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): [maj]

Pronoun[edit]

may

  1. you (second person singular pronoun)

Affixed forms[edit]

  • amay («to you»)
  • mmay («yours»)

Quechua[edit]

Adverb[edit]

may

  1. where
  2. like, how, very

Derived terms[edit]

  • maykama
  • mayman
  • maymanta
  • maypi

See also[edit]

  • may may

Pronoun[edit]

may

  1. (interrogative pronoun) which

Verb[edit]

may

  1. (transitive) to fear

Conjugation[edit]

Tagalog[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

  • mey, me

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (standard Tagalog) IPA(key): /maj/, [maɪ̯]
  • (colloquial) IPA(key): /ˈme/, [ˈme]
  • (Batangas) IPA(key): /ˈmej/, [ˈmeɪ̯]}

Particle[edit]

may (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜌ᜔)

  1. particle used as an existential marker: to be; to have
    Synonyms: mayroon, meron
    Antonym: wala

    May tubig sa bahay.

    There is water in the house.

    May ginto sa kuweba.

    There is gold in the cave.

    May mga malalaking pating sa dagat.

    There are big sharks in the sea.

See also[edit]

  • may-

Further reading[edit]

  • “may”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila: Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2018

Tatar[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

  • май (may)

Noun[edit]

may

  1. May (Month of the Year)

Declension[edit]

See also[edit]

  • Previous: äpril. * Next: yün

Uzbek[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Russian май (maj), from Latin māius.

Noun[edit]

may (plural maylar)

  1. May

Declension[edit]

[edit]

  • (Gregorian calendar months) oy; yanvar, fevral, mart, aprel, may, iyun, iyul, avgust, sentabr, oktabr, noyabr, dekabr (Category: uz:Months)

Vietnamese[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [maj˧˧]
  • (Huế) IPA(key): [maj˧˧]
  • (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [ma(ː)j˧˧]

Etymology 1[edit]

Cognate with Muong băl.

Verb[edit]

may • (𦁼, 𦄆, 𧛉, 𫋿)

  1. to sew
Derived terms[edit]
  • may mặc
  • may vá
  • nhà may
  • thợ may

See also[edit]

  • khâu

Etymology 2[edit]

Adjective[edit]

may • (幸, 枚, 𢆧, 𢆨, 𢆪, 𪝅, 𫥏)

  1. lucky
    Synonym: hên
Derived terms[edit]
  • ăn may
  • hoạ may
  • may mắn (từ láy)
  • may rủi

Walloon[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French mai, from Latin Māius.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /maj/

Noun[edit]

may

  1. May (month)

See also[edit]

  • (Gregorian calendar months) djanvî, fevrî, måss, avri, may, djun, djulete, awousse, setimbe, octôbe, nôvimbe, decimbe (Category: wa:Months)
Источник

may

to have permission to: you may go in now; to express possibility: The storm may turn into a hurricane.

Not to be confused with:

can – to be able to, have the power or skill to: I can take a bus to the airport. She can paint very well.

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

May

 (mā)

n.

1. The fifth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. See Table at calendar.

2. The springtime of life; youth.

3. The celebration of May Day.

[Middle English, from Old French mai, May, and Latin Māius (mēnsis), (the month) of Maia (Old French, from Latin), from Māia, an Italic goddess; see meg- in Indo-European roots.]

may 1

 (mā)

aux.v. Past tense might (mīt)

1. To be allowed or permitted to: May I take a swim? Yes, you may.

2. Used to express possibility or probability: It may rain this afternoon. See Usage Note at might2.

3. Used to express a desire or fervent wish: Long may he live!

4. Used to express contingency, purpose, or result in clauses introduced by that or so that: expressing ideas so that the average person may understand.

5. To be obliged, as where rules of construction or legal doctrine call for a specified interpretation of a word used in a law or legal document. See Usage Note at can1.

[Middle English mai, am able, is able ( first and third person sing. of mowe, to be able), from Old English mæg, first and third person sing. of magan, to be strong, be able; see magh- in Indo-European roots.]

may 2

 (mā)

n. Chiefly British

A hawthorn or its blossoms.

[French mai, hawthorn, from Mai, May (so called because it blooms in May); see May.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

may

(meɪ)

vb, past might

1. to indicate that permission is requested by or granted to someone: he may go to the park tomorrow if he behaves himself.

2. (often foll by well) to indicate possibility: the rope may break; he may well be a spy.

3. to indicate ability or capacity, esp in questions: may I help you?.

4. to express a strong wish: long may she reign.

5. to indicate result or purpose: used only in clauses introduced by that or so that: he writes so that the average reader may understand.

6. another word for might1

7. to express courtesy in a question: whose child may this little girl be?.

8. be that as it may in spite of that: a sentence connector conceding the possible truth of a previous statement and introducing an adversative clause: be that as it may, I still think he should come.

9. come what may whatever happens

10. that’s as may be (foll by a clause introduced by but) that may be so

[Old English mæg, from magan: compare Old High German mag, Old Norse mā]

Usage: It was formerly considered correct to use may rather than can when referring to permission as in: you may use the laboratory for your experiments, but this use of may is now almost entirely restricted to polite questions such as: may I open the window? The use of may with if in constructions such as: your analysis may have been more credible if … is generally regarded as incorrect, might being preferred: your analysis might have been more credible if …

may

(meɪ)

[Old English mæg; related to Old High German māg kinsman, Old Norse māgr a relative by marriage]

may

(meɪ)

n

1. (Plants) Also: may tree a Brit name for hawthorn

[C16: from the month of May, when it flowers]

May

(meɪ)

n

the fifth month of the year, consisting of 31 days

[from Old French, from Latin Maius, probably from Maia, Roman goddess, identified with the Greek goddess Maia]

May

(meɪ)

n

(Biography) Robert McCredie, Baron. born 1936, Australian biologist and ecologist

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

may

(meɪ)

auxiliary v., pres. may;

1. (used to express possibility): It may rain. You may have been right.

2. (used to express opportunity or permission): You may enter.

3. (used to express contingency, esp. in clauses indicating condition, concession, purpose, result, etc.): strange as it may seem; Let us concur so that we may live in peace.

4. (used to express wish or prayer): Long may you live!

5. Archaic. (used to express ability or power.)

Idioms:

be that as it may, whether or not that is true.

[before 900; Middle English mai 1st and 3rd pers. singular present indic. of mouen, Old English mæg (infinitive magan), c. Old Frisian mei, Old Saxon, Old High German, Gothic mag, Old Norse mā; compare main, might2]

usage: See can1.

May

(meɪ)

n.

1. the fifth month of the year, containing 31 days.

2. (often l.c.) the early flourishing part of life; prime.

3. the festive activities of May Day.

v.i.

4. (l.c.) to gather flowers in May.

[before 1050; Middle English, Old English Maius < Latin, short for Māius mēnsis]

May

(meɪ)

n.

Cape, a cape at the SE tip of New Jersey, on Delaware Bay.

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

might

– may

Might and may are used mainly to talk about possibility. They can also be used to make a request, to ask permission, or to make a suggestion. When might and may are used with the same meaning, may is more formal than might. Might and may are called modals.

In conversation, the negative form mightn’t is often used instead of ‘might not’. The form mayn’t is much less common. People usually use the full form may not.

He mightn’t have time to see you.

It may not be as hard as you think.

1. possibility: the present and the future

You can use might or may to say that it is possible that something is true or that something will happen in the future.

I might see you at the party.

This may be why she enjoys her work.

You can use could in a similar way, but only in positive sentences.

Don’t eat it. It could be poisonous.

You can use might well or may well to show that it is fairly likely that something is true.

You might well be right.

I think that may well be the last time we see him.

You use might not or may not to say that it is possible that something is not true.

He might not like spicy food.

That may not be the reason she left.

Be Careful!
Don’t use ‘might not’ or ‘may not’ to say that it is impossible that something is true. Instead you use could not, cannot, or can’t.

She could not have known what happened unless she was there.

He cannot be younger than me.

You can’t talk to the dead.

Be Careful!
Don’t use ‘may’ when you are asking if something is possible. Don’t say, for example, ‘May he be right?‘ Say ‘Might he be right?’ or, more usually, ‘Could he be right?’

Might we have got the date wrong?

Could this be true?

Be Careful!
Don’t say ‘What may happen?‘ You usually say ‘What is likely to happen?’

What are likely to be the effects of these changes?

2. possibility: the past

You use might or may with have to say that it is possible that something happened in the past, but you do not know whether it happened or not.

Jorge didn’t play well. He might have been feeling tired.

I may have been a little unfair to you.

Could have can be used in a similar way.

It could have been one of the staff that stole the money.

Be Careful!
However, if something did not happen and you want to say that there was a possibility of it happening, you can only use might have or could have. Don’t use ‘may have’. For example, you say ‘If he hadn’t fallen, he might have won the race’. Don’t say ‘If he hadn’t hurt his ankle, he may have won the race‘.

A lot of men died who might have been saved.

You use might not or may not with have to say that it is possible that something did not happen or was not true.

They might not have got your message.

Her parents may not have realized what she was doing.

Be Careful!
Don’t use ‘might not have’ or ‘may not have’ to say that it is impossible that something happened or was true. Instead you use could not have or, in British English, cannot have.

They could not have guessed what was going to happen.

The measurement can’t have been wrong.

3. requests and permission

In formal English, may and might are sometimes used for making a request, or asking or giving permission.

Might I ask a question?

You may leave the table.

4. suggestions

Might is often used in polite suggestions.

You might like to read this and see what you think.

I think it might be better to switch off your phones.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

Translations

глог

maig

smětkvětenmožnánechťsnad

majmåskemåmåttefå lov til

majo

شاید

saadasaattaatoukokuuvoidaTouko

मई

svibanjmoćismjeti

májusszabadlehet

mei

maímegigetageturmá

･･･してもよいかもしれない五月

~일지도 모른다~해도 되다5월오월

maius

galėtigalėti irgegužėGegužės pirmoji

drīkstētdrīkstēt/varēt tikpat labiiespējamsmaijsvarbūt

mai

májnech

majMaja

мај

fåkanskemajMaykunna

เดือนพฤษภาคมสามารถจะ (ใช้ขออนุญาต)อาจจะ

có thểtháng Năm

May

[meɪ]

A. N → mayo m
see July for usage

may

1 [meɪ] (might (pt, cond)) MODAL AUX VB

1. (of possibility) it may rain → puede or es posible que llueva
it may be that he has had to go out → puede (ser) que haya tenido que salir
he may not be hungry → a lo mejor no tiene hambre
they may well be related → puede que sean parientes
that’s as may be → eso puede ser
be that as it may → sea como sea
they may have gone out → puede que hayan salido, a lo mejor han salido
he may not have spoken to her yet → a lo mejor no ha hablado con ella todavía, puede que no haya hablado con ella todavía
I may have said so → es posible que lo haya dicho, puede que lo haya dicho
yes, I may → sí, es posible, sí, a lo mejor
I might have said so → pudiera haberlo dicho
as you might expect → como era de esperar, según cabía esperar
who might you be? → ¿quién es usted?
how old might you be? → ¿cuántos años tendrás?
such a policy as might bring peace → una política que pudiera traernos la paz

2. (of permission) → poder
yes, you may → sí, puedes, ¡cómo no!
if I may → si me lo permites
may I? → ¿me permite?, con permiso
may I go now? → ¿puedo irme ya?
may I see it? → ¿se puede ver?, ¿puedo verlo?
may I come in? → ¿se puede?, con permiso
you may smoke → se permite fumar
you may not smoke → se prohíbe fumar
if I may advise you → si permites que te dé un consejo
might I suggest that …? → me permito sugerir que …

3. (in wishes) may you have a happy life together → ¡que seáis felices!
may God bless you → ¡Dios te bendiga!
may you be forgiven! → ¡que Dios te perdone!
long may he reign! → ¡que reine muchos años!
or may I never eat prawns again → o que no vuelva nunca a comer gambas

5. might

5.1. (suggesting) you might try Smith’s → podrías probar en la tienda de Smith
mightn’t it be better to …? + INFIN → ¿no sería mejor …? + infin

5.2. (criticizing) you might shut the door! → ¡podrías or podías cerrar la puerta!
he might have offered to help → podría haberse prestado a ayudar
you might have told me! → ¡habérmelo dicho!

6. (in phrases) we may or might as well go → vámonos ya or de una vez
run as he might → por mucho que corriese

may

2 [meɪ] N (Bot) (= blossom) → flor f del espino (Brit) (= tree) → espino m

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

May

[ˈmeɪ]

may

[ˈmeɪ] modal aux vb

(= can) → pouvoir

(when asking or giving permission)
May I smoke? → Est-ce que je peux fumer?, Puis-je fumer?
May I sit here? → Est-ce que je peux m’asseoir ici?, Puis-je m’asseoir ici?
May we come in? → Pouvons-nous entrer?, Est-ce que nous pouvons entrer?
You may leave → Vous pouvez partir.

(wishes) may God bless you! → (que) Dieu vous bénisse!

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

May

may

vi pret <might> ? also might1

(possibility: also might) → können; it may rain → es könnte regnen, vielleicht regnet es; it may be that … → vielleicht…, es könnte sein, dass …; although it may have been useful → obwohl es hätte nützlich sein können; he may not be hungry → vielleicht hat er keinen Hunger; I may have said so → es kann or könnte sein, dass ich das gesagt habe; you may be right → Sie könnten recht haben; there may not be a next time → vielleicht gibts gar kein nächstes Mal; they may be brothers for all I know → es kann or könnte sein, dass sie Brüder sind; yes, I may → ja, das ist möglich or das kann sein; I may just do that → vielleicht tue ich das wirklich; that’s as may be (not might) → das mag ja sein(, aber …); one may well wonder why … → die Frage wäre wohl berechtigt, warum …; you may well ask → das kann man wohl fragen

(permission) → dürfen; may I go now? → darf ich jetzt gehen?; yes, you may → ja, Sie dürfen

I hope he may succeed → ich hoffe, dass es ihm gelingt; I had hoped he might succeed this time → ich hatte gehofft, es würde ihm diesmal gelingen; such a policy as may or might bring peace → eine Politik, die zum Frieden führen könnte; we may or might as well go → ich glaube, wir können (ruhig) gehen; you may or might as well go now → du kannst jetzt ruhig gehen; if they don’t have it we may or might as well go to another firm → wenn sie es nicht haben, gehen wir am besten zu einer anderen Firma; if they won’t help we may or might just as well give up → wenn sie uns nicht helfen, können wir (ja) gleich aufgeben

(in wishes) may you be successful! → (ich wünsche Ihnen) viel Erfolg!; may your days be full of joy → mögen Ihnen glückliche Tage beschieden sein; may you be very happy together → ich wünsche euch, dass ihr sehr glücklich miteinander werdet; may the Lord have mercy on your soul → der Herr sei deiner Seele gnädig; may you be forgiven (inf) → so was tut man doch nicht!; may I be struck dead if I lie! → ich will auf der Stelle tot umfallen, wenn das nicht stimmt

(in questions) who may or might you be? → und wer sind Sie?, wer sind Sie denn?

May

:

Mayday

n (= distress call) → Maydaysignal nt, → SOS-Ruf m; (said) → Mayday

may

:

May queen

n → Maikönigin f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

may

(mei) – negative short form mayn’t (ˈmeiənt)

–

1. to have the permission to. You may go home now.

2. used to express a possibility in the present or future. He may be here, I don’t know.

3. used to express a wish. May you live a long and happy life.

may as well

might as well.

may have

used to express a possibility in the past. He may have been here, but we cannot be sure.

May

(mei) noun

the fifth month of the year, the month following April.

May Day

the first day of May, an especially socialist holiday or festival in many countries.

ˈmaypole noun

a decorated pole for dancing round on May Day.

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

may

→ تَسْمَحُ لِ…بِ, مَايُو, مِنَ الـمُحْتَمَل květen, možná, smět må, maj, måske dürfen, können, Mai επιτρέπω, Μάιος, μπορώ mayo, poder saada, saattaa, toukokuu avoir le droit de, mai, pouvoir moći, smjeti, svibanj maggio, potere ･･･してもよい, かもしれない, 五月 ~일지도 모른다, ~해도 되다, 5월 kunnen, mei, mogen kunne, mai, muligens maj, móc maio, poder, talvez иметь возможность, май, получить разрешение få, kanske, maj เดือนพฤษภาคม, สามารถจะ (ใช้ขออนุญาต), อาจจะ izin istemek, Mayıs, muktedir olmak có thể, tháng Năm 五月, 可以做, 可能做

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

may

v. aux. poder, [possibility];

it ___ be → puede ser;

[permission]

___ I see you? → ¿Puedo verlo-a? ¿Puedo verte?;

___ I come in? → ¿Puedo entrar?

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

  • I want to make an outside call. May I have a line? (US)
    I want to make an outside call, can I have a line? (UK)

Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

Источник

Crossword clues for may

may
  • Kentucky Derby’s month
  • Jewish American Heritage Month
  • Is permitted to
  • Is allowed to
  • Have permission to
  • Come what ____
  • British Prime Minister Theresa ___
  • 5, in a date
  • »Lusty Month» in Camelot
  • Zombie Awareness month
  • Word with pole or day
  • With Nichols, a team
  • Will, potentially
  • Will perhaps
  • When the National Day of Prayer is celebrated
  • When the Kentucky Derby is held
  • When Mother’s Day is
  • When Derby Day is
  • When Cursive’s «Flowers» bloom
  • What 5 might signify
  • What 5 can represent
  • What «5» can represent
  • Time for a pole dance?
  • The only three-letter month
  • The Indy 500’s month
  • Tennyson’s «The _____ Queen»
  • Starter for flower or hem
  • Star Wars Day month
  • Shortest month?
  • Seven Days in ____
  • Rod Stewart’s «Maggie ________»
  • Rod Stewart «Maggie ___»
  • Request beginning
  • Queen or Day preceder
  • Prime minister who resigned in 2019
  • Prime minister between Cameron and Johnson
  • Polite word before «I»
  • Polite request starter
  • Pole time
  • Peter Parker’s aunt
  • Onetime comedy partner of Nichols
  • Olympian Misty ___-Treanor
  • National Salad Month
  • National Dance Like a Chicken Day month
  • Ms. Britt
  • Mothers’ month
  • Mother ___ I? (kids’ game)
  • Month with the shortest name
  • Month whose zodiac signs are Taurus and Gemini
  • Month when the Scripps National Spelling Bee begins
  • Month when the Battle of Puebla is commemorated
  • Month when many students finish the school year
  • Month when Free Comic Book Day is
  • Month to honor Mom
  • Month that’s rarely abbreviated
  • Month of much flowering
  • Month fest season starts, perhaps
  • Month before June
  • Month after April
  • Metallica «Wherever I ___ Roam»
  • Lovely spring month, one hopes
  • Leader before Johnson
  • Last full month of spring
  • Johnson’s predecessor as British P.M
  • It follows April
  • International Masturbation Month
  • Indianapolis 500 month
  • Hedging word
  • Has possibilities
  • Has clearance
  • Greeting: Part III
  • Graduation time, often
  • Graduation time
  • Frequent college graduation month
  • Flowering month
  • Fifth page out of twelve
  • Fifth page of a calendar
  • Fifth page of 12
  • Fifth of a dozen
  • Fifth of 12
  • Fifth in a series of twelve
  • Derby month
  • Day or pole
  • David Cameron successor
  • Dame Whitty
  • Could choose to
  • Comedian Ralphie who died of cardiac arrest on October 6
  • Come what ___ (no matter what)
  • Cape , N.J
  • Can alternative
  • Cameron’s successor
  • British P.M. beginning in 2016
  • Brian of Queen
  • Brexit negotiation figure
  • Brexit defender
  • Big time for moms
  • Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
  • Armed Forces Day month
  • Annual fifth
  • ALS Awareness Month
  • 5, written out
  • 5, spelled out?
  • 5, at times
  • «You ___ Be Right» (Billy Joel song)
  • «The Marry Month of ___» (O. Henry story)
  • «Queen of the ___»
  • «Primary Colors» screenwriter Elaine
  • «Maggie ___» (1971 Rod Stewart chart-topper)
  • «Can» alternative
  • «A pious fraud of the almanac,» per James Russell Lowell
  • «5 _____» (popular piece of music by Bach)
  • »If I ___ be so bold …»
  • ‘ I help you?’
  • ____ flower, Nova Scotia floral emblem
  • A symbol circulated thus, mistaken at first for hawthorn flower
  • Timid hangman’s developed powerful strength
  • A bit hasty, mate shot nevertheless
  • It’s most unlike bacon could go up!
  • Spring time
  • Tennyson’s «The _____ Queen»
  • Mom’s month
  • New Jersey’s Cape ___
  • Has a green light
  • Busy time at Indy
  • Word of possibility
  • Word of indecision
  • Fifth of twelve
  • What «5» can mean
  • Barry Manilow hit
  • Kentucky Derby time
  • ___ Day
  • Indianapolis 500 time
  • When to celebrate Armed Forces Day
  • Indy 500 time
  • Might, in the present
  • Blooming period
  • «Rough winds do shake the darling buds of ___»: Shak.
  • <— What this is, on a calendar
  • Spider-Man’s aunt
  • Period named for an earth goddess
  • Kentucky Derby month
  • Month of the Kentucky Derby and Indianapolis 500
  • Month of the Indianapolis 500
  • Peter Parker’s aunt in «Spider-Man»
  • «___ I?»
  • «If I ___ …»
  • Are allowed to
  • With 62-Down, a spring festival
  • June preceder
  • ___-December romance
  • The month following April and preceding June
  • Actress Britt
  • Time of the «darling buds»
  • Springtime festival, with 66 Down
  • Merry time
  • Prime of life
  • Month for 14 Across
  • «Darling buds» time
  • » . . . Queen o’ the ___»
  • Memorial Day setting
  • «I» predeceder, in a kids’ game
  • Conditional word
  • Flowering time
  • Has permission to
  • Kind of apple or fly
  • Dogwood time in N.Y.
  • Kind of apple or flower
  • Greeting: Part III
  • Author Sarton
  • Romberg’s «___ Wine»
  • Elaine or come-what
  • Hawthorn blossom
  • Actress Whitty
  • End of quotation
  • Edna ___ Oliver of films
  • One of the poles
  • Novelist Alcott’s middle name
  • Kind of pole or apple
  • Comedienne Elaine
  • Fifth of 12 pages on the wall
  • Month; hawthorn
  • Month mistaken as year, initially
  • Could possibly mollify aggressive Yemeni leaders
  • Could I sound like its plural?
  • Leading lady married still
  • Presenter who’s driven old lady back to Bromley
  • Has permission to root around?
  • Tree root twisted over
  • Spring month
  • National Hamburger Month
  • Spring period
  • Calendar page
  • Possibly will
  • Could possibly
  • Mother’s Day month
  • Merry month?
  • Fifth month
  • Peter Parker’s devoted aunt
  • One of a dozen
  • Indy 500 month
  • When mom gets her due
  • Potentially will
  • Memorial Day month
  • Wall-calendar page
  • Uncertain word
  • The shortest month?
  • Has potential
  • Calendar month
  • April follower
  • When moms are honored
  • Warm month
  • Shortest month, in a way
  • Perhaps will
  • Memorial Day’s month
  • Just might
  • It’s in the spring
  • Has the okay
  • «Your mileage ___ vary»
  • «___ the Force be with you»
  • Word with «pole» or «day»
  • When you stop having so many showers?
  • When the French Open starts
  • What Taurus and Gemini share
  • The fifth month of the year
  • Start of a polite request
  • Spring part
  • Possibly could
  • National No Socks Day month
  • National Bike Month
  • National Barbecue Month
  • Mother ___ I? (children’s game)
  • Month where Star Wars Day falls on the 4th
  • Merry 31 days
  • Mental Health Awareness Month
  • Kind of fly or flower

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

may

modal verb

COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES

can/may I suggest (=used to politely suggest a different idea)

▪ May I suggest that you think carefully before rushing into this?

come what may (=whatever happens)

▪ I knew he’d be able to take care of himself, come what may.

early in May/June etc

▪ I usually go on holiday early in July.

It may interest…to know that

▪ It may interest you to know that a number of scholarships are available.

May Day

next/last May

▪ She started work here last May.

Strange as it may seem

▪ Strange as it may seem, I actually prefer cold weather.

PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

May through June/Wednesday through Friday etc

as well sb might/may

▪ Marilyn looked guilty when she saw me, as well she might.

▪ And a deviant and mentally diseased species as well.

▪ Microscopes caught the imagination, as well they might.

be that as it may

▪ «Everyone knows it was your idea.» «Be that as it may, we can present it together.»

▪ Be that as it may, all of us need order.

▪ Be that as it may, blood-sharing in vampire bats seems to fit the Axelrod model well.

▪ Be that as it may, Driesch concluded that Weismann was wrong, at least in part.

▪ Be that as it may, his depiction was so convincingly done as to restore belief in the existence of centaurs!

▪ Be that as it may, I shall attempt to explain the spiritual aspect in my own terms.

▪ Be that as it may, terrible things clearly happened.

▪ Be that as it may, the truth is plain: this is an exercise of arrogant power which stinks.

▪ Be that as it may, Woolridge had his suspicions.

can/could/may I have

▪ Are you saying that you’re refusing to do that? … Could I have your number?

▪ How can I have a death certificate?

▪ How could I have been anything but evil to her?

▪ How could I have been such a fool as to take him seriously?

▪ How else could I have known about it unless I was your son?

▪ It seemed a dream come true-what more could I have asked for?

▪ My question is, how can I have problems like other fishkeepers?

▪ What could I have paid for it?

could/may/might yet do sth

if I may be so bold

▪ And what, if I may be so bold, is the meaning of this note?

if I may say so

▪ And his manner was, if I may say so, more relaxed, almost like an aristocrat.

▪ And if I may say so, they seem more useful than yours.

▪ For my interior vision, if I may say so, it still works.

▪ Now, you’re a plants-woman of no small renown, if I may say so, your ladyship.

▪ Suicidal, if I may say so.

▪ Unlike, if I may say so, the dabblings of your brother in the theology of physics.

▪ Very sexist of you to assume otherwise, if I may say so.

let me remind you/may I remind you (that)

may I trouble you?/sorry to trouble you

may just/might just

may/might/could (just) as well

▪ And if you have to plough the field anyway, you might as well plant it at the same time.

▪ And we might as well get used to it and resolve to cope.

▪ Besides, they cost so much, you might as well get some fun out of them.

▪ I thought I might just as well come down to the point.

▪ If the traveler expects the high way to be safe and well-graded, he might as well stay at home.

▪ It might as well be now.

▪ She might as well see how the enemy behaved themselves in a place like this.

▪ While she was there, they might as well have added the charge of breaching the Trades Description Act.

may/might/could well

▪ As we have already noted, he may well have been a militant nationalist who did not shrink from violence.

▪ But the women whom they find may well not match their feminist consciousness.

▪ By and large Alex and I think these developments are likely to give tangible gains and could well become a priority for implementation.

▪ In addition, the clarification of such issues could well provide the initial stimulus for a whole school language policy.

▪ It is too early to be entirely sure, but it looks as though the tide may well have turned.

▪ The requirements may well be modified as detailed work and discussion proceed.

sb may be pardoned for doing sth

to whom it may concern

wherever that is/may be

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

▪ Altering a passport in any way may make it invalid.

▪ Seven thirty may be too late.

▪ Thank you, you may go now.

▪ The Commission may then take one of three actions.

▪ The king has ordered a festival so that his son may select a bride.

▪ They may have called when she was in Anaheim.

▪ Travelers to Qatar may not bring in narcotics or weapons.

▪ We may not have class the last week of February, but I’ll let you know for sure as the time approaches.

▪ You may now kiss the bride.

EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS

▪ Activities, such as walking, standing, sitting or bending, may have to be learned anew.

▪ But I got lost in the doing of it, as navigators may, and we went beyond ourselves.

▪ If you forget to move your turkey from freezer to refrigerator in time, you may thaw the turkey in cold water.

▪ It may pay to be early at Catford where Dromina Duke looks the part in the second race.

▪ It will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, and may have a knock-on effect.

▪ They also monitor the production run to make sure that it stays on schedule and correct any problems that may arise.

▪ To deny this power is dangerous, for, suppressed, it will find another outlet and may erupt uncontrollably.

▪ Worse yet, it may resort to additional expedient action to disguise or defuse the consequences of previous counterproductive actions.

The Collaborative International Dictionary

May

May May (m[=a]), v. [imp. Might (m[imac]t)] [AS. pres.
m[ae]g I am able, pret. meahte, mihte; akin to D. mogen, G.
m[«o]gen, OHG. mugan, magan, Icel. mega, Goth. magan, Russ.
moche. [root]103. Cf. Dismay, Main strength, Might. The
old imp. mought is obsolete, except as a provincial word.]
An auxiliary verb qualifying the meaning of another verb, by
expressing:

  1. Ability, competency, or possibility; — now oftener
    expressed by can.

    How may a man, said he, with idle speech,
    Be won to spoil the castle of his health!

    —Spenser.

    For what he [the king] may do is of two kinds; what
    he may do as just, and what he may do as possible.

    —Bacon.

    For of all sad words of tongue or pen
    The saddest are these: «It might have been.»

    —Whittier.

  2. Liberty; permission; allowance.

    Thou mayst be no longer steward.
    —Luke xvi. 2.

  3. Contingency or liability; possibility or probability.

    Though what he learns he speaks, and may advance
    Some general maxims, or be right by chance.
    —Pope.

  4. Modesty, courtesy, or concession, or a desire to soften a
    question or remark.

    How old may Phillis be, you ask.
    —Prior.

  5. Desire or wish, as in prayer, imprecation, benediction,
    and the like. «May you live happily.»
    —Dryden.

    May be, & It may be, are used as equivalent to
    possibly, perhaps, maybe, by chance,
    peradventure. See 1st Maybe.

May

May May, n. [Cf. Icel. m[ae]r, Goth. mawi; akin to E. maiden.
A maiden. [Obs.]
—Chaucer.

May

May May, n. [F. Mai, L. Maius; so named in honor of the
goddess Maia (Gr. Mai^a), daughter of Atlas and mother of
Mercury by Jupiter.]

  1. The fifth month of the year, containing thirty-one days.

    —Chaucer.

  2. The early part or springtime of life.

    His May of youth, and bloom of lustihood.
    —Shak.

  3. (Bot.) The flowers of the hawthorn; — so called from
    their time of blossoming; also, the hawthorn.

    The palm and may make country houses gay.
    —Nash.

    Plumes that mocked the may.
    —Tennyson.

  4. The merrymaking of May Day.
    —Tennyson.

    Italian may (Bot.), a shrubby species of Spir[ae]a
    ( Spir[ae]a hypericifolia) with many clusters of small
    white flowers along the slender branches.

    May apple (Bot.), the fruit of an American plant
    ( Podophyllum peltatum). Also, the plant itself
    (popularly called mandrake), which has two lobed leaves,
    and bears a single egg-shaped fruit at the forking. The
    root and leaves, used in medicine, are powerfully drastic.

    May beetle, May bug (Zo[«o]l.), any one of numerous
    species of large lamellicorn beetles that appear in the
    winged state in May. They belong to Melolontha, and
    allied genera. Called also June beetle.

    May Day, the first day of May; — celebrated in the rustic
    parts of England by the crowning of a May queen with a
    garland, and by dancing about a May pole.

    May dew, the morning dew of the first day of May, to which
    magical properties were attributed.

    May flower (Bot.), a plant that flowers in May; also, its
    blossom. See Mayflower, in the vocabulary.

    May fly (Zo[«o]l.), any species of Ephemera, and allied
    genera; — so called because the mature flies of many
    species appear in May. See Ephemeral fly, under
    Ephemeral.

    May game, any May-day sport.

    May lady, the queen or lady of May, in old May games.

    May lily (Bot.), the lily of the valley ( Convallaria
    majalis).

    May pole. See Maypole in the Vocabulary.

    May queen, a girl or young woman crowned queen in the
    sports of May Day.

    May thorn, the hawthorn.

Douglas Harper’s Etymology Dictionary

May

fifth month, early 12c., from Old French mai and directly from Latin Majus, Maius mensis «month of May,» possibly from Maja, Maia, a Roman earth goddess (wife of Vulcan) whose name is of unknown origin; possibly from PIE *mag-ya «she who is great,» fem. suffixed form of root *meg- «great» (cognate with Latin magnus). Replaced Old English þrimilce, month in which cows can be milked three times a day. May marriages have been considered unlucky at least since Ovid’s day. May-apple attested from 1733, American English.

may

«to take part in May Day festivities,» late 15c., from May. Related: Mayed; maying.

may

Old English mæg «am able» (infinitive magan, past tense meahte, mihte), from Proto-Germanic root *mag-, infinitive *maganan (Old Frisian mei/muga/machte «have power, may;» Old Saxon mag/mugan/mahte; Middle Dutch mach/moghen/mohte; Dutch mag/mogen/mocht; Old High German mag/magan/mahta; German mag/mögen/mochte; Old Norse ma/mega/matte; Gothic mag/magan/mahte «to be able»), from PIE *magh- (1) «to be able, have power» (cognates: Greek mekhos, makhos «means, instrument,» Old Church Slavonic mogo «to be able,» mosti «power, force,» Sanskrit mahan «great»). Also used in Old English as a «auxiliary of prediction.»

Wiktionary

may

Etymology 1 vb. 1 (context obsolete intransitive English) To be strong; to have power (over). (8th-17th c.) 2 (context obsolete auxiliary English) To be able; can. (8th-17th c.) 3 (context intransitive poetic English) To be able to go. (from 9th c.) 4 (context modal auxiliary verb defective English) To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests. (from 9th c.) 5 (context modal auxiliary verb defective English) Expressing a present possibility; possibly. (from 13th c.) Etymology 2

n. The hawthorn bush or its blossoms. vb. To gather may.

WordNet
Gazetteer

May, OK — U.S. town in Oklahoma

Population (2000): 33
Housing Units (2000): 27
Land area (2000): 0.179778 sq. miles (0.465622 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.179778 sq. miles (0.465622 sq. km)
FIPS code: 47000
Located within: Oklahoma (OK), FIPS 40
Location: 36.616536 N, 99.749363 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 73851
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:

May, OK
May

Wikipedia

May

May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days.

May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the of the summer vacation season in the United States and Canada and ends on Labor Day, first Monday of September.

May (name)

May is an English feminine given name. It is derived from the name of the month, which comes from Maia, the name of a Roman fertility goddess. The name May is also used as a pet form of Mary and Margaret.

People with the given name May include:

May (Pokémon)

May, known as in Japan, is a character in the Pokémon franchise, a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, toys and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri.

In the Pokémon anime, she is the daughter of the Petalburg City Gym Leader, Norman, and sister of Max. She also appears in the manga series Ash & Pikachu, and should not be confused with May Oak (or Daisy Oak), Gary’s sister in the Pokémon manga series The Electrical Adventures of Pikachu.

Sapphire Birch, a protagonist of the Pokémon Adventures manga, is based on her incarnation in the Pokémon video games.

May (disambiguation)

May is the fifth month of the year.

May or MAY can also refer to:

May (film)

May is a 2002 American psychological horror film written and directed by Lucky McKee in his directorial debut. Starring Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto, Anna Faris, and James Duval, the film follows a lonely young woman (Bettis) traumatized by a difficult childhood, and her increasingly desperate attempts to connect with the people around her.

May (surname)

May is a surname of Germanic (Saxon) and, independently, of Gaelic origin. There are many variants used in English-speaking countries, as well as several variants used in Germany. The Scottish May is a sept of Clan Donald. The surname «May» remains a common surname in Britain, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, as well as among Russians of German origin. People with the surname May include:

  • Abby May (1800–1877), American social activist
  • Alan Nunn May (1911–2003), English spy
  • Alexander May (1927–2008, German actor, producer, director
  • Alfred May (engineer) (1851–1920), engineer and inventor in South Australia
  • Andrew J. May (1875–1959), American politician
  • Arne May (born 1961), German neurologist
  • Artur May (born 1922), former German judge
  • Barbara May (born 1961), Austrian actress
  • Bartholomäus May (1446–1531), Swiss statesman
  • Billy May (1916–2004), American arranger
  • Bob May, see Robert May
  • Bob May (golfer) (born 1968), American golfer
  • Brad May (born 1971), Canadian ice hockey player
  • Brian May (born 1947), English rock guitarist
  • Buckshot May (1899–1984), American baseball player
  • Carl Friedrich Rudolf May (1768–1846), Swiss statesman
  • Carlos May (born 1948), American baseball player
  • Charles S. May (1830–1891), American politician from Michigan
  • Christine May (born 1948), Irish politician
  • Christof May (born 1970), German jazz musician
  • Clifford May (born 1951), American activist
  • Corinna May (born 1970), German singer
  • Corrinne May (born Corrinne Foo May Ying) (born 1973), Singaporean singer-songwriter
  • Cyril May, Australian singer-songwriter
  • Dan May (1898–1982), Nashville civic leader
  • Daniel May (born 1981), German politician
  • Daniel Boone May (1852–1878), American gunfighter
  • Darrell May (born 1972), American baseball player
  • Dave May (1943–2012), American baseball player
  • David May (computer scientist) (born 1951), computer scientist
  • David May (footballer) (born 1970), English footballer
  • Dent May, American pop musician
  • Derrick May (baseball player) (born 1968)
  • Derrick May (musician) (born 1963), American electronic pop music composer
  • Donald May (born 1927), American actor
  • Doris May (1902-1984), American film actress
  • Eddie May (1943–2012), English footballer and manager
  • Edmund May (1876–1956), German architect
  • Edna May (1878–1948), American singer and actress
  • Eduard May (1905–1956), German biologist, natural philosopher
  • Elaine May (born 1932), American screenwriter and director
  • Elizabeth May (born 1954), Canadian politician
  • Elizabeth May (athlete) (born 1983), Luxembourgian triathlete
  • Elmar May (1939–1999), German footballer
  • Emil May (1850–1933), German engineer
  • Ernst May (1886–1970), German architect
  • Erskine May, 1st Baron Farnborough (1815–1886), English constitutional lawyer
  • Eugen May (born 1954), German actor
  • Eva May (1902–1924), Austrian actress
  • Eva-Maria May (born 1985), German actress and singer
  • Ferdinand May (1896–1977), German dramatist and author
  • Fiona May (born 1969), Italian athlete
  • Francis Henry May (1860–1922), Hong Kong Governor
  • Frederick May (engineer), (John Frederick May, 1840–1897), Australian engineer and inventor
  • Frederick May (composer) (1911–1985), Irish composer
  • Georg Oswald May (1738–1816), German painter
  • George S. May (1890–1962), American business and pre-eminent golf promoter
  • Gisela May (born 1924), German actress
  • Graham May (died 2006), New Zealand weightlifter
  • Guido May (born 1968), German jazz musician
  • Gustave May (1881–1943), American photographer
  • Hans May (1886–1958), Austrian film music composer
  • Henriette May (1862–1928), German women’s rights activist
  • Henry May (disambiguation)
  • Hugh May (1621–1684, English architect
  • Jack May (1922–1997), English actor
  • James May (born 1963), English motor journalist
  • Jan May (born 1995), German cyclist
  • Jesse May (born 1980), American poker player
  • Jodhi May (born 1975), English actress
  • Joe May (disambiguation)
  • Joe May (1880–1954), Austrian film director
  • Johann Friedrich May (1697–1762), German political scientist
  • John May (disambiguation)
  • Jon May (born 1939), American mathematician
  • Jonathan May (1958–2010), American cellist and conductor
  • Joseph May (born 1974), English actor
  • Julian May (born 1931), American science fiction author
  • Julie von May (1808–1875), Swiss feminist
  • Jürgen May (born 1942), German athlete
  • Karl May (1842–1912), German writer
  • Karl Ivanovich May (1820–1895), Russian educator, see Karl May School
  • Kenneth May (1915–1977), American mathematician
  • Lady May, American rapper
  • Larry May (born 1958), English footballer
  • Lee May (born 1943), American baseball player
  • London May (born 1967), American rock musician
  • Margaret May (born 1950), Australian politician
  • Márcio May (born 1972), Brazilian cyclist
  • Marin May (born 1977), American actress
  • Marc May (born 1956), American football player
  • Mark May (born 1959), American football player
  • Mathilda May (born 1965), French actress
  • Mia May (1884–1980), Austrian actress
  • Michaela May (born 1952), German actress
  • Michael May (racing driver) (born 1934), Swiss racing driver
  • Michael May (cricketer) (born 1971), English cricketer
  • Mike May (Colorado politician), American politician (Colorado)
  • Mike May (Iowa politician) (born 1945), American politician (Iowa)
  • Mike May (skier) (born 1954), winter Paralympics athlete
  • Milt May (born 1950), American baseball player
  • Monica May (born 1984), American actress
  • Percy May (1884–1965), English cricketer
  • Peter May (cricketer) (1929–1994), English cricketer
  • Peter May (writer) (born 1951), Scottish writer
  • Phil May (caricaturist) (1864–1903), English illustrator
  • Phil May (singer) (born 1944), English rock singer and lyricist
  • Ralphie May (born 1975), American comedian
  • Raphael Ernst May (1858–1933), German economist
  • Richard May (disambiguation)
  • Robert May (disambiguation)
  • Rollo May (1909–1994), American psychologist
  • Rüdiger May (born 1974), German boxer
  • Rudy May (born 1944), American baseball player
  • Sarah May (born 1972), English writer
  • Scott May (born 1954), American basketball player
  • Sean May (born 1984), American basketball player
  • Edward Michael May IV (born 1984), American Environmental Engineer and Scientist
  • Simon May (born 1944), English film and TV music composer
  • Søren Nielsen May (died 1679), Danish priest
  • Theresa May (born 1956), British Prime Minister
  • Tim May (born 1962), Australian cricketer
  • Timothy C. May, American engineer and writer
  • Tina May (born 1961), English jazz singer
  • Thomas May (1594/5–1650), English poet
  • Tom May (rugby union) (born 1979), English rugby player
  • Torsten May (born 1969), German boxer
  • Vladimir May-Mayevsky (1867–1920), Russian general
  • William May (theologian) (died 1560), English archbishop
  • Wop May (1896–1952), Canadian pilot
  • Zakhar May (born 1969), Russian rock musician

May (singer)

May (also known as: Mei, メイ, 메이, born May 6, 1982) is a Korean singer, well known in South Korea for singing the song «Miracle». She speaks Korean, Japanese, and English.

May was born on May 6, 1982 in Seoul, South Korea. She started her music career in South Korea in late 2005 singing «Miracle», a well known song in South Korea. Within a month she was chosen by Avex’s Show Case Live because she was able to speak Japanese. By early 2006 she was signed to Avex Trax in Japan, and had a contract to publish her first EP «Wonderland» with CJ Music in South Korea, which charted at #23 in the Korean top 200 and sold 743 copies within the first week. Within 3 months, May released her second EP «Smile» with a different publisher, Doremi Media in South Korea, and it charted at #27 and sold 695 copies in the first week. By 2007, May had released her first Japanese Album «a Little Happiness» which charted at #77 on Oricon.

May (B’z song)

«May» is the twenty-eighth single by B’z, released on May 24, 2000. This song is one of B’z many number-one singles in Oricon chart, although sales were not as high as their previous single.

May (Hampshire cricketer)

May (dates unknown) was an English professional cricketer who made 4 known appearances in first-class cricket matches from 1797 to 1798.

May (noble)

May was an ancient Egyptian official during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten. He was Royal chancellor and fan-bearer at Akhet-Aten, the pharaoh’s new capital. He was buried in Tomb EA14 in the southern group of the Amarna rock tombs.

Usage examples of «may».

The Empress might have enough support among the nobles to keep a precarious hold on her throne, but she had made no overtures to the common folk, and they were solidly opposed to the idea of an Aberrant ruler.

Empress is wooing the nobles as well as she can, by introducing them to the Aberrant child so that they may see she is not deformed or freakish.

For every hundred useless aberrations there may be one that is useful, that provides its bearer an advantage over its kin.

He may have thought I was just as involved in the plan to evacuate our people to the Abesse as Mother was.

That quest was abetted by a sympathetic schoolteacher, Rebecca, who saw in the lad a glimmering hope that occasionally there might be resurrection from a bitter life sentence in the emotionally barren and aesthetically vitiated Kentucky hamlet, and who ultimately seduced him.

They may opine that I have been an abettor of treason, that I have attempted to circumvent the ends of justice, and that I may have impersonated you in order to render possible your escape.

Had it not been for a determined English professor named Arthur Holmes, the quest might well have fallen into abeyance altogether.

We may, however, omit for the present any consideration of the particular providence, that beforehand decision which accomplishes or holds things in abeyance to some good purpose and gives or withholds in our own regard: when we have established the Universal Providence which we affirm, we can link the secondary with it.

For if so be it doth not, then may ye all abide at home, and eat of my meat, and drink of my cup, but little chided either for sloth or misdoing, even as it hath been aforetime.

I may abide here beyond the two days if the adventure befall me not ere then.

I will not wear thy soul with words about my grief and sorrow: but it is to be told that I sat now in a perilous place, and yet I might not step down from it and abide in that land, for then it was a sure thing, that some of my foes would have laid hand on me and brought me to judgment for being but myself, and I should have ended miserably.

Now he thought that he would abide their coming and see if he might join their company, since if he crossed the water he would be on the backward way: and it was but a little while ere the head of them came up over the hill, and were presently going past Ralph, who rose up to look on them, and be seen of them, but they took little heed of him.

So that meseems thou mayest abide here in a life far better than wandering amongst uncouth folk, perilous and cruel.

I will abide thee on a good horse with all that we may need for the journey: and now I ask leave.

Now Ralph, he and his, being known for friends, these wild men could not make enough of them, and as it were, compelled them to abide there three days, feasting them, and making them all the cheer they might.

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