Etymology : Middle English , from Old English mæg; akin to Old High German mag have power, am able , and perhaps to Greek mEchos means, expedient
Pronunciation : mA
Function : verbal auxiliary
Date : before 12th century
1. fifth month of the Gregorian calendar; female first name. hawthorne tree or bush; flowers of the hawthorne bush; young woman (Archaic); springtime. can; allow; be possible; wish, would that. may\may\, n. [cf. icel. m?r, goth. mawi; akin to e. maiden. .] a maiden. [obs.]may \may\, n. [f. mai, l. maius; so named in honor of the goddess maia (gr. ), daughter of atlas and mother of mercury by jupiter.].
2. the fifth month of the year, containing thirty-one days.
3. the early part or springtime of life. his may of youth, and bloom of lustihood.
4. (bot.) the flowers of the hawthorn; -- so called from their time of blossoming; also, the hawthorn. the palm and may make country houses gay. plumes that micked the may.
5. the merrymaking of may day.
6. An auxiliary verb qualifying the meaning of another verb, by expressing: Ability, competency, or possibility; now oftener expressed by can.
7. Liberty; permission; allowance.
8. Contingency or liability; possibility or probability.
9. Modesty, courtesy, or concession, or a desire to soften a question or remark.
10. Desire or wish, as in prayer, imprecation, benediction, and the like.
11. A maiden.
12. The fifth month of the year, containing thirty-one days.
13. The early part or springtime of life.
14. The flowers of the hawthorn; so called from their time of blossoming; also, the hawthorn.
15. The merrymaking of May Day. the month following April and preceding June.
16. May is the fifth month of the year in the Western calendar. May is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb.
17. vagueness You use may to indicate that something will possibly happen or be true in the future, but you cannot be certain. We may have some rain today I may be back next year I don't know if they'll publish it or not. They may Scientists know that cancer may not show up for many years. = might.
18. vagueness You use may to indicate that there is a possibility that something is true, but you cannot be certain. Civil rights officials say there may be hundreds of other cases of racial violence = might.
19. You use may to indicate that something is sometimes true or is true in some circumstances. A vegetarian diet may not provide enough calories for a child's normal growth Up to five inches of snow may cover the mountains. = might.
20. vagueness You use may have with a past participle when suggesting that it is possible that something happened or was true, or when giving a possible explanation for something. He may have been to some of those places The chaos may have contributed to the deaths of up to 20 people.
21. You use may in statements where you are accepting the truth of a situation, but contrasting it with something that is more important. I may be almost 50, but there's not a lot of things I've forgotten.
22. You use may when you are mentioning a quality or fact about something that people can make use of if they want to. The bag has narrow straps, so it may be worn over the shoulder or carried in the hand = can.
23. You use may to indicate that someone is allowed to do something, usually because of a rule or law. You use may not to indicate that someone is not allowed to do something. Any two persons may marry in Scotland provided that both persons are at least 16 years of age on the day of their marriage Adolescents under the age of 18 may not work in jobs that require them to drive.
24. You use may when you are giving permission to someone to do something, or when asking for permission. Mr Hobbs? May we come in? If you wish, you may now have a glass of milk = can.
25. politeness You use may when you are making polite requests. I'd like the use of your living room, if I may May I come with you to Southampton? = can.
26. You use may when you are mentioning the reaction or attitude that you think someone is likely to have to something you are about to say. You know, Brian, whatever you may think, I work hard for a living.
27. emphasis You use may in expressions such as I may add and I may say in order to emphasize a statement that you are making. They spent their afternoons playing golf -- extremely badly, I may add -- around Loch Lomond Both of them, I may say, are thoroughly reliable men.
28. If you do something so that a particular thing may happen, you do it so that there is an opportunity for that thing to happen. the need for an increase in the numbers of surgeons so that patients may be treated as soon as possible = can.
29. People sometimes use may to express hopes and wishes. Courage seems now to have deserted him. May it quickly reappear.
30. be that as it may: see:
be may as well: see well. A peninsula of southern New Jersey between the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. The southern tip forms Cape May Point. The blossoms of the hawthorn. the fifth month of the year, between April and June next/last May (mai, from Maius, from Maia Roman goddess). the white or pink flowers of the hawthorn. Alcott Louisa May Fifth of May May beetle Lessing Doris May Doris May Tayler May Day May Fourth Movement Gloria May Josephine Svensson.
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