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Bay

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bay

1  [bey]
Use Bay in a Sentence
–noun
1. a body of water forming an indentation of the shoreline, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf.
2. South Atlantic States. an arm of a swamp.
3. a recess of land, partly surrounded by hills.
4. an arm of a prairie or swamp, extending into woods and partly surrounded by them.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME baye < MF baie < ML, LL bāia, perh. by back formation from L Bāiae name of a spa on the Bay of Naples

Synonyms:
1. inlet, estuary, sound, firth, bight.
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bay

2  [bey]
–noun
1. Architecture.
a. any of a number of similar major vertical divisions of a large interior, wall, etc.: The nave is divided into six bays.
b. a division of a window between a mullion and an adjoining mullion or jamb.
c. bay window (def. 1).
2. Aeronautics.
a. any portion of an airplane set off by two successive bulkheads or other bracing members.
b. a compartment in an aircraft: a bomb bay; an engine bay.
3. a compartment, as in a barn for storing hay.
4. Also called drive bay. an open compartment in the console housing a computer's CPU in which a disk drive, tape drive, etc., may be installed.
5. Nautical.
a. the deck space between the anchor windlass and the stem of a vessel.
b. sick bay.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME < MF baee an opening in a wall, n. use of fem. ptp. of baer to stand open, gape < VL *batāre

Synonyms:
3. alcove, nook, recess, niche; loft, garret.

bay

3  [bey]
–noun
1. a deep, prolonged howl, as of a hound on the scent.
2. the position or stand of an animal or fugitive that is forced to turn and resist pursuers because it is no longer possible to flee (usually prec. by at or to): a stag at bay; to bring an escaped convict to bay.
3. the situation of a person or thing that is forced actively to oppose or to succumb to some adverse condition (usually prec. by at or to).
4. the situation of being actively opposed by an animal, person, etc., so as to be powerless to act fully (often prec. by at).
–verb (used without object)
5. to howl, esp. with a deep, prolonged sound, as a hound on the scent.
–verb (used with object)
6. to assail with deep, prolonged howling: a troubled hound baying the moon.
7. to bring to or to hold at bay: A dog bays its quarry.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME, aph. var. of abay < AF, dial. OF abai barking, n. deriv. of abaier to bark, from an imit. base *bay-

Synonyms:
5. roar, bellow, bark, bell, clamor.

bay

4  [bey]
–noun
1. laurel (def. 1).
2. Also called bayberry, bay rum tree. a tropical American shrub, Pimenta racemosa, having aromatic leaves that are used in making bay oil and bay rum.
3. any of various laurellike trees or shrubs.
4. any of several magnolias.
5. an honorary garland or crown bestowed for military victory, literary excellence, etc.
6. bays, fame; renown.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME bai(e), OE beg- (in begbēam lit., berry tree), conflated with MF baie < L bāca, bacca berry

bay

5  [bey]
–noun
1. reddish brown.
2. a horse or other animal of reddish-brown color.
–adjective
3. (of horses or other animals) having a reddish-brown body.
Origin:
1300–50; ME < MF bai < L badius; cf. OIr buide yellow

lau⋅rel

  [lawr-uhl, lor-] noun, verb, -reled, -rel⋅ing or (especially British) -relled, -rel⋅ling.
–noun
1. Also called bay, sweet bay. a small European evergreen tree, Laurus nobilis, of the laurel family, having dark, glossy green leaves. Compare laurel family.
2. any tree of the genus Laurus.
3. any of various similar trees or shrubs, as the mountain laurel or the great rhododendron.
4. the foliage of the laurel as an emblem of victory or distinction.
5. a branch or wreath of laurel foliage.
6. Usually, laurels. honor won, as for achievement in a field or activity.
–verb (used with object)
7. to adorn or wreathe with laurel.
8. to honor with marks of distinction.
—Idioms
9. look to one's laurels, to be alert to the possibility of being excelled or surpassed: New developments in the industry are forcing long-established firms to look to their laurels.
10. rest on one's laurels, to be content with one's past or present honors, achievements, etc.: He retired at the peak of his career and is resting on his laurels.
Origin:
1250–1300; dissimilated var. of ME laurer, earlier lorer < AF; OF lorier bay tree, equiv. to lor bay, laurel (< L laurus) + -ier -ier 2 ; see -er 2

Synonyms:
6. glory, fame, renown, praise.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Bay
bay 1   (bā)   
n.  

  1. A body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide mouth, affording access to the sea: the Bay of Biscay.

  2. An area of land, such as an arm of prairie partially enclosed by woodland, that resembles in shape or formation a partially enclosed body of water.


[Middle English, from Old French baie, perhaps from baer, to open out, gape; see bay2.]
bay 2   (bā)   
n.  

  1. Architecture A part of a building marked off by vertical elements, such as columns or pilasters: an arcade divided into ten bays.

  2. Architecture

    1. A bay window.

    2. An opening or recess in a wall.

  3. A section or compartment, as in a service station, barn, or aircraft, that is set off for a specific purpose: a cargo bay; an engine bay.

  4. A sickbay.

  5. Computer Science A drive bay.


[Middle English, from Old French baee, an opening, from baer, to gape, from Vulgar Latin *badāre.]
bay 3   (bā)   
adj.  Reddish-brown: a bay colt.
n.  

  1. A reddish brown.

  2. A reddish-brown animal, especially a horse having a black mane and tail.


[Middle English, from Old French bai, from Latin badius.]
bay 4   (bā)   
n.  

  1. A deep, prolonged bark, such as the sound made by hounds.

  2. The position of one cornered by pursuers and forced to turn and fight at close quarters: The hunters brought their quarry to bay.

  3. The position of having been checked or held at a distance: "He has seen the nuclear threat held at bay for 40 years" (Earl W. Foell).

v.   bayed, bay·ing, bays

v.   intr.
To utter a deep, prolonged bark.
v.   tr.

  1. To pursue or challenge with barking: "I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon" (Shakespeare).

  2. To express by barking or howling: a mob baying its fury.

  3. To bring to bay: "too big for the dogs which tried to bay it" (William Faulkner).


[Middle English, from abai, cornering a hunted animal, from Old French, from abaiier, to bark, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *abbaiāre : Latin ad-, ad- + Vulgar Latin *badāre, to gape, yawn. V., from Middle English baien, to bark, from abaien, from Old French abaiier.]
bay 5   (bā)   
n.  

  1. See laurel.

  2. Any of certain other trees or shrubs with aromatic foliage, such as the California laurel.

  3. A crown or wreath made especially of the leaves and branches of the laurel and given as a sign of honor or victory.

  4. Honor; renown. Often used in the plural.


[Middle English, from Old French baie, berry, from Latin bāca.]
lau·rel   (lôr'əl, lŏr'-)   
n.  

  1. A Mediterranean evergreen tree (Laurus nobilis) having aromatic, simple leaves and small blackish berries. Also called bay5, bay laurel, sweet bay.

  2. A shrub or tree, such as the mountain laurel, having a similar aroma or leaf shape.

    1. A wreath of laurel conferred as a mark of honor in ancient times upon poets, heroes, and victors in athletic contests. Often used in the plural.

    2. Honor and glory won for great achievement. Often used in the plural.

tr.v.   lau·reled also lau·relled, lau·rel·ing also lau·rel·ling, lau·rels also lau·rels

  1. To crown with laurel.

  2. To honor, especially with an award or a prize.


[Middle English, from Old French laureole, from Latin laureola, diminutive of laurea, laurel tree; see laureate.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

bay  (1)
"inlet of the sea," 1385, from O.Fr. baie, L.L. baia (c.640), from Iberian bahia.

bay  (2)
"opening in a wall," c.1325 (especially bay window, 1405), from O.Fr. baee, pp. of bayer "to gape, yawn," from M.L. batare "gape," perhaps of imitative origin. Sick-bay "forepart of a ship's main deck used as a hospital" is from 1582, from the notion of a recessed space.

bay  (3)
"howl of a hound" (especially when hunting), c.1300, from O.Fr. bayer, from PIE base *bai- echoic of howling (cf. Gk. bauzein, L. baubari "to bark," Eng. bow-wow; cf. also bawl). Noun meaning "cornering of a hunted animal" is also 14c. At bay (1649) is from special sense of "chorus raised by hounds in conflict with quarry."

bay  (4)
"reddish-brown," 1341, from Anglo-Fr. bai, from O.Fr. bai, from L. badius "chestnut-brown" (used only of horses), from PIE *badyo- "yellow, brown" (cf. O.Ir. buide "yellow"). Also elliptical for a horse of this color.

bay  (5)
"shrub" (Laurus nobilis, source of the bay leaf), 1373, originally only of the berry, from O.Fr. baie "berry, seed," from L. baca "berry." Extension to the shrub itself is from 1530. The leaves or sprigs were woven as wreaths for conquerors or poets. Bayberry first recorded 1578.

laurel 
c.1300, lorrer, from O.Fr. laurier, from L. laurus "laurel tree," probably related to Gk. daphne "laurel" (for change of d- to l- see lachrymose), probably from a pre-IE Mediterranean language. The change of second -r- to -l- after c.1350 is by dissimilation. An emblem of victory or of distinction, hence the phrase to rest (originally repose) on one's laurels, first attested 1859.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

bay hardware
(As in an aeroplane "cargo bay") A space in a cabinet into which a device of a certain size can be physically mounted and connected to power and data.
Common examples are a "drive bay" into which a disk drive (usually either 3.5 inch or 5.25 inch) can be inserted or the space in a docking station where you insert a notebook computer or laptop computer to work as a desktop computer or to charge their batteries, print or connect to the office network, etc.
(1999-01-11)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Bible Dictionary

Bay

denotes the estuary of the Dead Sea at the mouth of the Jordan (Josh. 15:5; 18:19), also the southern extremity of the same sea (15:2). The same Hebrew word is rendered "tongue" in Isa. 11:15, where it is used with reference to the forked mouths of the Nile. Bay in Zech. 6:3, 7 denotes the colour of horses, but the original Hebrew means strong, and is here used rather to describe the horses as fleet or spirited.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Idioms & Phrases

bay

see at bay.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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