may - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

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.

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: […] 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.]
    Synonyms: can, could, might
    you may smoke outside; may I sit there?
  5. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) Expressing a present possibility; possibly. [from 13th c.]
    Synonyms: could, might
    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.
  6. (subjunctive present, defective, chiefly poetic) Expressing a wish (with present subjunctive effect). [from 16th c.]
    Synonym: might
    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
  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], 7th edition:
      How old may Phillis be, you ask, / Whose Beauty thus all Hearts engages.

have permission to

possibly, but not certainly

subjunctive

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

may (uncountable)

  1. The hawthorn bush or its blossoms.

the hawthorn bush or its blossom

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.
    • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur Book XIX, Chapter i leaf 386v:
      Soo it befelle in the moneth of May / quene Gueneuer called vnto her knyȝtes of the table round / and she gafe them warnynge that erly vpon the morowe she wold ryde on mayeng in to woodes & feldes besyde westmynstre.
      "So it befell in the month of May, Queen Guenever called unto her knights of the Table Round; and she gave them warning that early upon the morrow she would ride a-Maying into woods and fields beside Westminster."
  2. (poetic, intransitive) To celebrate May Day.

From Middle English may, maye (“woman, maid, girl, virgin”), from Old English mǣġ (“kinswoman”), from Proto-West Germanic *māg, from Proto-Germanic *mēgaz (“kinsman”). Related to Old English māge, mǣġe (“kinswoman”) and Old English mǣġ (“kinsman”).

may (plural mays)

  1. (archaic) A maiden.

Borrowed from Russian май (maj).

may (definite accusative mayı, plural maylar)

  1. (North Azerbaijani) May
    Synonym: (South Azerbaijani) مه (mə)
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

may

  1. there is
  2. to have

From Proto-Central Philippine *may (existential marker).

may (Badlit spelling ᜋᜌ᜔)

  1. particle used as an existential marker: there be; there is
    Synonyms: anaa, aduna, adia, ania, atua
    Antonym: wala
    may bulawan sa ungib
    there is gold in the cave
    may dagkong mga pating sa dagat
    the big sharks are in the sea
  2. particle used as a possessive marker: to have
    may sakyanan si Maria
    Maria has a personal vehicle
  3. (after sa) near a place
    sa may pultahan ― by the door
  4. (sometimes with mga) approximately, about some time ago; at around
    may (mga) duha ka buwan na ― it has been about two months
    may (mga) alas-kuwatro ― at around four o'clock
  5. (+ adjective prefixed with pagka-) be somewhat
    may pagkatabian si Antonio ― Antonio is somewhat talkative

may

  1. butter, oil

Declension of may

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

may

  1. my

may

  1. me

may (Raguileo spelling)

  1. yes

may m

  1. intervention

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

may

  1. you (second person singular pronoun)

may

  1. where
  2. like, how, very

may

  1. (interrogative pronoun) which

may

  1. (transitive) to fear

From Proto-Central Philippine *may (existential marker). See also Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *mai (“and”).

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 pagkain ako rito, sa'yo na lang.
    I have food here, have it.

may (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜌ᜔)

  1. used after sa: by; around; near
    Kunin mo ang araro doon sa may puno ng mangga.
    Get the shovel by the mango tree.
    (literally, “Get the shovel at the place with the mango tree.”)

Cognate with Persian مادر (mâdar).

may

  1. mother

may

  1. May (Month of the Year)

Borrowed from Russian май (maj), from Latin māius.

may (plural maylar)

  1. May

Cognate with Muong băl.

may • (𦁼, 埋, 枚)

  1. to sew

may • (𢆧, 埋, 𱜿, 𱝁, 枚, 𠶣)

  1. lucky
    Synonym: hên

may • (埋, 枚)

  1. (now rarely in isolation) a cold breeze

From Old French mai, from Latin Māius.

may

  1. May (month)