May vs Strength - What's the difference?
may | strength |
(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
The quality or degree of being strong.
* (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
* , chapter=5
, title= The intensity of a force or power; potency.
* 1699 , ,
The strongest part of something; that on which confidence or reliance is based.
* Bible, (Psalms) xlvi. 1
* (Jeremy Taylor) (1613–1677)
A positive attribute.
(obsolete) A strong place; a stronghold.
(obsolete) To give strength to; to strengthen.
* 1395 , (John Wycliffe), Bible , Job IV:
As verbs the difference between may and strength
is that may is (obsolete|intransitive) to be strong; to have power (over) or may can be to gather may while strength is (obsolete) to give strength to; to strengthen.As nouns the difference between may and strength
is that may is the hawthorn bush or its blossoms while strength is the quality or degree of being strong.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
*strength
English
Noun
(en noun)- Our castle's strength will laugh a siege to scorn.
The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength —all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts.}}
Heads designed for an essay on conversations
- Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it.
- God is our refuge and strength .
- Certainly there is not a greater strength against temptation.
- (Shakespeare)
Synonyms
* fortitude * power * ability * capability * potency * expertiseAntonyms
* (The quality of being strong) weakness * (A positive attribute) weaknessDerived terms
* bond strength * compressive strength * crushing strength * dielectic strength * fatigue strength * field strength * full-strength * impact strength * industrial-strength * inner strength * ionic strength * party strength * pillar of strength * relative strength * shear strength * strengthen * strengthening * strengthful * strengthless * strengthy * superstrength * tensile strength * tower of strength * ultimate strength * understrength * wet strength * yield strengthVerb
(en verb)- Lo! thou hast tau?t ful many men, and thou hast strengthid hondis maad feynt.
- (Chaucer)