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may
1[ mey ]
auxiliary verb
- (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.)
may
2[ mey ]
noun
- a maiden.
May
3[ mey ]
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.
- the festivities of May Day.
- (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.
May
1/ meɪ /
noun
- the fifth month of the year, consisting of 31 days
may
2/ meɪ /
verb
- to indicate that permission is requested by or granted to someone
he may go to the park tomorrow if he behaves himself
- often foll by well to indicate possibility
he may well be a spy
the rope may break
- to indicate ability or capacity, esp in questions
may I help you?
- to express a strong wish
long may she reign
- to indicate result or purpose: used only in clauses introduced by that or so that
he writes so that the average reader may understand
- another word for might 1
- to express courtesy in a question
whose child may this little girl be?
- be that as it mayin 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
- come what maywhatever happens
- that's as may befoll by a clause introduced by but that may be so
may
3/ meɪ /
noun
- an archaic word for maiden
May
4/ meɪ /
noun
- MayRobert McCredie, Baron1936MAustralianSCIENCE: biologistSCIENCE: ecologist Robert McCredie , Baron. born 1936, Australian biologist and ecologist
may
5/ meɪ /
noun
- Alsomay tree a Brit name for hawthorn
- short for may blossom
Usage
Confusables Note
Word History and Origins
Origin of may1
Origin of may2
Origin of may3
Word History and Origins
Origin of may1
Origin of may2
Origin of may3
Origin of may4
Idioms and Phrases
see be that as it may ; come what may ; let the chips fall where they may ; to whom it may concern .Example Sentences
The IRS has debuted a new online tool to help taxpayers check the status of any refund they may be entitled to.
Ms Ghazarian says she may have to raise her prices this year, but worries it could backfire.
Despite Snow White’s presence at Disney theme parks, the character and her story may be less recognizable to a younger audience, Robbins said.
They say the case could set legal precedent and may affect thousands of other immigrants who similarly entered the U.S. illegally but were granted legal protections.
Combining alike cases saves taxpayers money, helps ease court backlogs and avoids precedent-setting decisions that may be in conflict, Koh wrote in her decision.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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