may

may
may1
/may/, auxiliary v., pres. sing. 1st pers. may, 2nd may or (Archaic) mayest or mayst, 3rd may; pres. pl. may; past might.
1. (used to express possibility): It may rain.
2. (used to express opportunity or permission): You may enter.
3. (used to express contingency, esp. 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.
4. (used to express wish or prayer): May you live to an old age.
5. Archaic. (used to express ability or power.) Cf. might1.
[bef. 900; ME mai 1st and 3rd pers. sing. pres. ind. of mouen, OE maeg (inf. magan); c. G mögen]
Usage. See can1.
may2
/may/, n. Archaic.
a maiden.
[bef. 900; ME mai; OE maeg]

* * *

(as used in expressions)
Alcott Louisa May
Fifth of May
May beetle
Lessing Doris May
Doris May Tayler
Gloria May Josephine Svensson

* * *

▪ month
 fifth month of the Gregorian calendar. It was named after Maia, a Roman fertility goddess.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • may v — May n …   English expressions

  • May'n — Concert in Anime Expo 2010 at Nokia Theater LA Live Background information Birth name May Nakabayashi Also known as …   Wikipedia

  • May J. — May J. Birth name May (Jamileh) Hashimoto Also known as May J. Born June 20, 1988 (1988 06 20) (age 23) Origin Yokohama, Japan …   Wikipedia

  • May It Be — Chanson par Enya extrait de l’album Bande originale de La Communauté de l anneau Sortie 19 février 2002 Enregistrement 2001 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • 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. [1913 Webster] 2. The early part or springtime …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • May — ist: ein Familienname, siehe May (Familienname) – dort auch zu Namensträgern eine Berner Patrizierfamilie, siehe May (Patrizierfamilie) ein US amerikanischer Film von Lucky McKee: May (Film) ein englischer weiblicher Vorname, siehe May (Vorname)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • May'n — Nom 中林芽依 May Nakabayashi Naissance 21 octobre 1989 (1989 10 21) (22 ans) Nagoya …   Wikipédia en Français

  • May It Be — Single by Enya from the album The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Released …   Wikipedia

  • may — may, might 1. With reference to present or future possibility, may and might are both used, but with may the possibility is more open and with might it is more tentative or remote: (may) • The ACLU may have a strong case Economist, 1980 • The… …   Modern English usage

  • May 8 — << May 2011 >> Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 …   Wikipedia

  • May 15 — << May 2011 >> Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”