March vs May - What's the difference?
march | may |
A formal, rhythmic way of walking, used especially by soldiers, bands and in ceremonies.
A political rally or parade
Any song in the genre of music written for marching (see )
Steady forward movement or progression.
(euchre) The feat of taking all the tricks of a hand.
To walk with long, regular strides, as a soldier does.
To cause someone to walk somewhere.
* {{quote-book
, year = 1967
, first = Barbara
, last = Sleigh
, authorlink = Barbara Sleigh
, title = (Jessamy)
, edition = 1993
, location = Sevenoaks, Kent
, publisher=Bloomsbury
, isbn = 0 340 19547 9
, page = 84
, url =
, passage = The old man heaved himself from the chair, seized Jessamy by her pinafore frill and marched her to the house.
}}
To go to war; to make military advances.
A border region, especially one originally set up to defend a boundary.
* , Book V:
(label) A region at a frontier governed by a marquess.
The name for any of various territories with similar meanings or etymologies in their native languages.
* 1819 , (Lord Byron), , IV:
To have common borders or frontiers
(obsolete) Smallage.
(obsolete) To be strong; to have power (over).
(obsolete, auxiliary) To be able; can.
*, II.3.6:
(poetic) To be able to go.
* 1600 , (William Shakespeare), (w, A Midsummer Night's Dream) , III.3:
(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),
* Prior
To gather may.
* 1922 , , VII, lines 1-2
As nouns the difference between march and may
is that march is a formal, rhythmic way of walking, used especially by soldiers, bands and in ceremonies while may is the hawthorn bush or its blossoms.As verbs the difference between march and may
is that march is to walk with long, regular strides, as a soldier does while may is to be strong; to have power (over).As proper nouns the difference between march and may
is that march is the third month of the Gregorian calendar, following February and preceding April. Abbreviation: Mar or Mar.May is the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, following April and preceding June.march
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . Akin to (etyl) mearc'', ''?emearc "mark, boundary".Noun
(es)- the march of time
Synonyms
* (steady forward movement or progression) process * (political rally) protest, parade, rally * (steady forward movement) advancement, progressionDerived terms
* countermarch * dead march * death march * double march * force-march * forced march * freedom march * frog-march, frog march, frog's march * funeral march * gain a march on, get a march on * grand march * hour of march * in a full march * in march * Jacksonian march * Jarvis march * line of march * make a march * march haemoglobinuria, march hemoglobinuria * march-on * march-order * march out * march-past * march-time * march tumor, march tumour * march to a different drummer * march to the beat of a different drum * minute of march * on a march * on the march * outmarch * rogue's march * route march, route-march, routemarch * slow march * snowball marches * steal a march * wedding marchVerb
(es)Derived terms
* dismarch * marcher * marching * march off * march on * march to the beat of a different drum * outmarch * overmarch * remarchEtymology 2
From (etyl) .Noun
(es)- Therefore, sir, be my counsayle, rere up your lyege peple and sende kynges and dewkes to loke unto your marchis , and that the mountaynes of Almayne be myghtyly kepte.
- Juan's companion was a Romagnole, / But bred within the March of old Ancona.
Synonyms
* (border region) frontier, marchland * (territory) county palatinate, county palatineDerived terms
* Lord Warden of the Marches * marcher * march-gat * march-land * march-man * march parts, march-party * * march stone * march-ward *Verb
Etymology 3
Noun
(es)Synonyms
* (l)may
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) , Icelandic mega, megum. See also might.Verb
- But many timeswe give way to passions we may resist and will not.
- 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 […].
- 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
- 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) mightDerived 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-itSee also
*Etymology 2
(etyl) mai, so called because it blossoms in (May).Derived terms
* *Verb
(en verb)- In valleys green and still / Where lovers wander maying