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May
May the fifth month of the year, in the northern hemisphere usually considered the last month of spring and harbinger of summer. From the late 16th century, May in poetic use also denotes one's bloom or prime.
Recorded from Old English, the name comes from Latin Maius, probably from the name of a deity cognate with the name of the goddess Maia and with magnus ‘great’. May and January a young woman and an old man as husband and wife, as in Chaucer's Merchant's Tale (c.1395). May balls at the University of Cambridge, balls held during May Week (see below). May chickens come cheeping the weakness of chickens born in May is apparent from their continuous feeble cries. The saying is recorded from the late 19th century, and the proverb has also been linked to the idea that marriage in May is unlucky, and that children of such marriages are less likely to survive. May Day 1 May, celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival or as an international day honouring workers. May game a performance or entertainment (typically involving the characters of Robin Hood and Maid Marian) forming part of celebrations held on May Day; the merrymaking and sports associated with this. The term is recorded from the early 16th century; by the middle of the century, the phrase make a May game of, meaning make a laughing-stock of someone, had developed. May meeting each of a succession of annual meetings of various religious and philanthropic societies formerly held during the month of May in Exeter Hall, London, and other buildings. May Queen a pretty girl chosen and crowned with flowers in traditional celebrations of May Day; in 1591 an allegorical entertainment showing the May Queen being met by her nymphs was presented before Queen Elizabeth I. May Week at Cambridge University, a week in late May or early June when intercollegiate boat races are held. See also April showers bring forth May flowers, so many mists in March, so many frosts in May, marry in May, sell in May, sweep the house with broom in May, the 3rd of May at third. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "May." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "May." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-May.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "May." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-May.html |
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may
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." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "may." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-may005.html "may." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-may005.html |
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May
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. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "May." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-May.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "May." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-May.html |
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May
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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Cite this article
"May." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "May." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-may.html "May." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-may.html |
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may
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. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may1.html T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may1.html |
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May
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"May." Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "May." Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3458000844.html "May." Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3458000844.html |
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May
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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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "May." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "May." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-May.html T. F. HOAD. "May." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-May.html |
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may
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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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may.html T. F. HOAD. "may." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-may.html |
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May
May see month . |
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"May." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "May." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-May.html "May." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-May.html |
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may
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Cite this article
"may." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "may." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-may.html "may." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 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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Cite this article
"may." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "may." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-may.html "may." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-may.html |
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