May vs Bay - What's the difference?
may | bay |
(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
(obsolete) A berry.
, a shrub of the family Lauraceae , having dark green leaves and berries.
The leaves of this shrub, woven into a garland used to reward a champion or victor; hence, fame, victory.
* 1596 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , IV.i:
The leaf of this or certain other species of shrub, used as a herb.
* Trumbull
(US, dialect) A tract covered with bay trees.
A kind of mahogany obtained from (Campeche) in Mexico.
(geography) A body of water (especially the sea) more or less three-quarters surrounded by land.
*
, title= A bank or dam to keep back water.
An opening in a wall, especially between two columns.
An internal recess; a compartment or area surrounded on three sides.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
, page=13 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist)
, title= The distance between two supports in a vault or building with a pitched roof.
(nautical) Each of the spaces, port and starboard, between decks, forward of the bitts, in sailing warships.
(rail transport) A bay platform.
Shortened form of bay window.
The excited howling of dogs when hunting or being attacked.
(by extension) The climactic confrontation between hunting-dogs and their prey.
(figuratively) A state of being obliged to face an antagonist or a difficulty, when escape has become impossible.
* (rfdate) (Dryden)
* (rfdate) I. Taylor
To howl.
* (rfdate) (Dryden)
To bark at; hence, to follow with barking; to bring or drive to bay.
To pursue noisily, like a pack of hounds.
A brown colour/color of the coat of some horses.
A horse of this color.
As a noun may
is mummy, mother.As an adverb bay is
brazenly.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
Statistics
*bay
English
(wikipedia bay)Etymology 1
From (etyl) baye, baie, from (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)- both you here with many a cursed oth, / Sweare she is yours, and stirre vp bloudie frayes, / To win a willow bough, whilest other weares the bayes .
- The patriot's honours and the poet's bays .
Synonyms
* bay laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel, sweet bay, true laurelDerived terms
* bayberry * bay laurel * bay leaf * bay rum * bay rum tree * bay tree * red bay * sweet bayEtymology 2
From (etyl) baie, from baia.Noun
(en noun)Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage='Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.}}
Synonyms
* (body of water) gulfDerived terms
* California bayEtymology 3
From (etyl) baie, from (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)Ideas coming down the track, passage=A “moving platform” scheme
Derived terms
* bay platform * bay window * bomb bay * buggy bay * loading bayEtymology 4
From (etyl) bay, combined with aphesized form of abay; verbal form (etyl) baier, abaier.Noun
(en noun)- Embolden'd by despair, he stood at bay .
- The most terrible evils are just kept at bay by incessant efforts.
Derived terms
* at bayVerb
(en verb)- The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bayed .
- to bay the bear
- (Shakespeare)