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may

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

may¹ / mā/ • modal verb (3rd sing. present may ; past might / mīt/ ) 1. expressing possibility: that may be true he may well win. ∎ used when admitting that something is so before making another, more important point: they may have been old-fashioned, but they were excellent teachers. 2. expressing permission: you may use a sling if you wish may I ask a few questions? 3. expressing a wish or hope: may she rest in peace. PHRASES: be that as it may despite that; nevertheless. may as wellanother way of saying might as well (see might¹). may² • n. the hawthorn or its blossom.

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May

A Dictionary of First Names | 2006 | | Copyright

May ♀ Pet form of both Margaret and Mary. The popularity of this name, which was at its height in the early 20th century, has been reinforced by the fact that it fits into the series of month names with April and June, and also belongs to the group of flower names, being another word for the hawthorn, whose white flowers blossom in May. It is now not much used independently but is a common component of compounds such as Ella-May, Lily-May, and Daisy-May.

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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "May." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "May." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-May.html

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "May." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-May.html

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May

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

May / mā/ • n. the fifth month of the year, in the northern hemisphere usually considered the last month of spring: the new model makes its showroom debut in May | [as adj.] a May morning. ∎ (usu. one's May) poetic/lit. one's bloom or prime: others murmured that their May was passing.

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"May." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"May." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-may.html

"May." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-may.html

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may

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

may2 blossoms of the hawthorn. XVI. — (O)F. mai flowers and branches collected to celebrate 1 May, from the name of the month (see next), dial. hawthorn.
So vb. celebrate May-day, chiefly in gerund (a)maying. XIV.

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T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may1.html

T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may1.html

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May

Encyclopedia of World Cultures | 1996 | Copyright

May

A group of about 1,500 (1981) living along the northern Vietnam and Laos border. They were formerly itinerant swidden cultivators, but now have become more settled.

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"May." Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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"May." Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3458000844.html

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May

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

May - (O)F. mai :- L. Maius prop. pert. to Māia, Italic goddess, daughter of Faunus and wife of Vulcan (later identified with Gr. Maîa).
Hence May-day XV.

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may

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

may1 pt. might † be strong; † be able; be allowed; as an aux. of the subjunctive. Gmc. preterite-present vb. (cf. CAN2). OE. mæġ, corr. to OS. (Du.), (O)HG. mag, ON. má, Goth. mag. The primary sense was ‘have power’ (cf. the cogn. sbs. MAIN1, MIGHT); the IE. base *mogh- *mḗgh-, is repr. also by Gr. mēkhanḗ MACHINE, OSl. mogǫ I can.
Hence may be XV.

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T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may.html

T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may.html

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May

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

May see month .

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"May." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-May.html

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may

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

may name for several plants; in England, particularly the hawthorn . See also mayflower .

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"may." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-may.html

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may

may •affray, agley, aka, allay, Angers, A-OK, appellation contrôlée, array, assay, astray, au fait, auto-da-fé, away, aweigh, aye, bay, belay, betray, bey, Bombay, Bordet, boulevardier, bouquet, brae, bray, café au lait, Carné, cassoulet, Cathay, chassé, chevet, chez, chiné, clay, convey, Cray, crème brûlée, crudités, cuvée, cy-pres, day, decay, deejay, dégagé, distinguée, downplay, dray, Dufay, Dushanbe, eh, embay, engagé, essay, everyday, faraway, fay, fey, flay, fray, Frey, fromage frais, gainsay, gay, Gaye, Genet, gilet, glissé, gray, grey, halfway, hay, heigh, hey, hooray, Hubei, Hué, hurray, inveigh, jay, jeunesse dorée, José, Kay, Kaye, Klee, Kray, Lae, lay, lei, Littré, Lough Neagh, lwei, Mae, maguey, Malay, Mallarmé, Mandalay, Marseilles, may, midday, midway, mislay, misplay, Monterrey, Na-Dene, nay, né, née, neigh, Ney, noway, obey, O'Dea, okay, olé, outlay, outplay, outstay, outweigh, oyez, part-way, pay, Pei, per se, pince-nez, play, portray, pray, prey, purvey, qua, Quai d'Orsay, Rae, rangé, ray, re, reflet, relevé, roman-à-clef, Santa Fé, say, sei, Shar Pei, shay, slay, sleigh, sley, spae, spay, Spey, splay, spray, stay, straightaway, straightway, strathspey, stray, Sui, survey, sway, Taipei, Tay, they, today, tokay, Torbay, Tournai, trait, tray, trey, two-way, ukiyo-e, underlay, way, waylay, Wei, weigh, wey, Whangarei, whey, yea

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"may." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"may." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-may.html

"may." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-may.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Rain failed to stop May Day sword play on May Day. Newspaper article from: Warwick Courier (Leamington Spa, England); 5/26/2012
	Laois gig listings from Wednesday May 23 to Wednesday May 30. Newspaper article from: Leinster Express (Port Laoise, Northern Ireland); 5/25/2012
	Frustrated McIlroy may face a fine; GOLF.(Sport) Newspaper article from: Birmingham Mail (England); 5/26/2012