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Dismay vs May - What's the difference?

dismay | may |

As nouns the difference between dismay and may

is that dismay is a sudden or complete loss of courage and firmness in the face of trouble or danger; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation while may is the hawthorn bush or its blossoms.

As verbs the difference between dismay and may

is that dismay is to disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive of firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify while may is to be strong; to have power (over).

As a proper noun May is

the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, following April and preceding June.

dismay

English

Noun

(-)
  • A sudden or complete loss of courage and firmness in the face of trouble or danger; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation.
  • Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive of firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify.
  • * Bible, Josh. i. 9
    • Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed .
  • * Fairfax
    • What words be these? What fears do you dismay ?
  • To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
  • * Spenser
    • Do not dismay yourself for this.
  • To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.
  • * 1592 , , III. iii. 1:
    • Dismay not, princes, at this accident,

    may

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) , Icelandic mega, megum. See also might.

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To be strong; to have power (over).
  • (obsolete, auxiliary) To be able; can.
  • *, II.3.6:
    • But many timeswe give way to passions we may resist and will not.
  • (poetic) To be able to go.
  • * 1600 , (William Shakespeare), (w, A Midsummer Night's Dream) , III.3:
    • O weary night, O long and tedious night, / Abate thy houres, shine comforts from the East, / That I may backe to Athens by day-light […].
  • (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests.
  • (modal auxiliary verb, defective) Expressing a present possibility; possibly.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 1, author=Phil Dawkes, work=BBC Sport
    • , title=[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/15045630.stm Sunderland 2-2 West Brom] , passage=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.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title=[http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21580518-terrible-name-interesting-trend-rise-smart-beta The rise of smart beta] , passage=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.}}
  • (subjunctive present, defective) Expressing a wish (with present subjunctive effect).
  • * 1974 , (Bob Dylan),
    • 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
  • * Prior
    • How old may Phillis be, you ask.
    Usage notes
    * (term) is now a defective verb. It has no infinitive, no past participle, and no future tense. Forms of (to be allowed to) are used to replace these missing tenses. * The simple past (both indicative and subjunctive) of (may) is (might) * The present tense is negated as (may) (not), which can be contracted to (term, mayn't), although this is old-fashioned; the simple past is negated as (might) (not), which can be contracted to (term, mightn't). * (term) has archaic second-person singular present indicative forms (mayest) and (mayst). * Usage of this word in the sense of (possibly) is considered incorrect by some speakers and writers, as it blurs the meaning of the word in the sense have permission to . These speakers and writers prefer to use the word (might) instead. * Wishes are often cast in the imperative rather than the subjunctive mood, not using the word (may), as in Have a great day!'' rather than ''May you have a great day .
    Synonyms
    * (have permission to) can, could, might * (possibly) could, might * (in subjunctive) might
    Derived terms
    * as the case may be * be it as it may, be that as it may, be this as it may * come what may * devil-may-care * if I may * I may not but * it may well with, may well with * let the chips fall where they may * may as well * maybe * may chance * may-fall * may-fortune * mayhap * mayhappen * may I? * may-issue * mayn't * may you live in interesting times * that is as may be, that's as may be * * what-you-may-call-it

    See also

    *

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) mai, so called because it blossoms in (May).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The hawthorn bush or its blossoms.
    • Derived terms
    * *

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To gather may.
  • * 1922 , , VII, lines 1-2
    • In valleys green and still / Where lovers wander maying

    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * 100 English basic words English auxiliary verbs English defective verbs English irregular verbs English terms with multiple etymologies 1000 English basic words ----