–auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person may, 2nd may or (Archaic) may·est or mayst, 3rd may; present plural may; past might.
1.
(used to express possibility): It may rain.
2.
(used to express opportunity or permission): You may enter.
3.
(used to express contingency, esp. in clauses indicating condition, concession, purpose, result, etc.): I may be wrong but I think you would be wise to go. Times may change but human nature stays the same.
4.
(used to express wish or prayer): May you live to an old age.
O.E. mæg "I am able" (inf. magan, pt. meahte, mihte), from P.Gmc. root *mag-, inf. *maganan (cf. O.Fris. muga, O.N. mega, Du. mogen, Ger. mögen, Goth. magan "to be able"), from PIE *mogh-/*megh- "power" (cf. Gk. mekhos, makhos "means, instrument," O.C.S. mogo "to be able," mosti "power, force," Skt. mahan "great"). Also related to might (q.v.). Mayhap is 1536, from phrase (it) may hap.
1110, from O.Fr. mai, from L. Majus, Maius mensis "month of May," possibly from Maja, Maia a Roman earth goddess (wife of Vulcan) whose name is possibly from PIE *mag-ya "she who is great," fem. suffixed form of base *meg- "great" (cognate with L. magnus). Replaced O.E. þrimilce, month in which cows can be milked three times a day. May marriage have been considered unlucky at least since Ovid's day. Mayflower (1626) was used locally for the cowslip, the lady's smock, and other plants that bloom in May. May apple attested from 1733.
thorny Eurasian shrub of small tree having dense clusters of white to scarlet flowers followed by deep red berries; established as an escape in eastern North America [syn: whitethorn]
Cape May County, NJ (county, FIPS 9) Location: 39.07747 N, 74.85861 W Population (1990): 95089 (85537 housing units) Area: 661.0 sq km (land), 945.6 sq km (water)
Cape May Point, NJ (borough, FIPS 10330) Location: 38.93678 N, 74.96564 W Population (1990): 248 (578 housing units) Area: 0.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Cape May Court H, NJ Zip code(s): 08210
Cape May Court House, NJ (CDP, FIPS 10300) Location: 39.07990 N, 74.82389 W Population (1990): 4426 (1859 housing units) Area: 23.2 sq km (land), 0.3 sq km (water)
May, OK (town, FIPS 47000) Location: 36.61650 N, 99.74896 W Population (1990): 42 (34 housing units) Area: 0.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 73851
May, TX Zip code(s): 76857
Cape May, NJ (city, FIPS 10270) Location: 38.94006 N, 74.90548 W Population (1990): 4668 (4052 housing units) Area: 6.4 sq km (land), 0.8 sq km (water)
North Cape May, NJ (CDP, FIPS 52650) Location: 38.97629 N, 74.95171 W Population (1990): 3574 (2120 housing units) Area: 3.6 sq km (land), 0.2 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 08204
West Cape May, NJ (borough, FIPS 78530) Location: 38.94139 N, 74.93787 W Population (1990): 1026 (913 housing units) Area: 3.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Dis*may"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dismayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dismaying.] [OE. desmaien, dismaien, OF. esmaier; pref. es- (L. ex) + OHG. magan to be strong or able; akin to E. may. In English the pref. es- was changed to dis- (L. dis-). See May, v. i.]1. To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive or firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed. --Josh. i. 9. What words be these? What fears do you dismay? --Fairfax. 2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet. [Obs.] Do not dismay yourself for this. --Spenser. Syn: To terrify; fright; affright; frighten; appall; daunt; dishearthen; dispirit; discourage; deject; depress. -- To Dismay, Daunt, Appall. Dismay denotes a state of deep and gloomy apprehension. To daunt supposes something more sudden and startling. To appall is the strongest term, implying a sense of terror which overwhelms the faculties. So flies a herd of beeves, that hear, dismayed, The lions roaring through the midnight shade. --Pope. Jove got such heroes as my sire, whose soul No fear could daunt, nor earth nor hell control. --Pope. Now the last ruin the whole host appalls; Now Greece has trembled in her wooden walls. --Pope.
Main\, n. [AS. m[ae]gen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. ?. See May, v.]1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [Obs., except in certain phrases.] There were in this battle of most might and main. --R. of Gl. He 'gan advance, With huge force, and with importable main. --Spenser. 2. The chief or principal part; the main or most important thing. [Obs., except in special uses.] Resolved to rest upon the title of Lancaster as the main, and to use the other two . . . but as supporters. --Bacon. 3. Specifically: (a) The great sea, as distinguished from an arm, bay, etc.; the high sea; the ocean. "Struggling in the main." --Dryden. (b) The continent, as distinguished from an island; the mainland. "Invaded the main of Spain." --Bacon. (c) principal duct or pipe, as distinguished from lesser ones; esp. (Engin.), a principal pipe leading to or from a reservoir; as, a fire main. Forcing main, the delivery pipe of a pump. For the main, or In the main, for the most part; in the greatest part. With might and main, or With all one's might and main, with all one's strength; with violent effort. With might and main they chased the murderous fox. --Dryden.
Man"drake\, n. [AS. mandragora, L. mandragoras, fr. Gr. ?: cf. F. mandragore.]1. (Bot.) A low plant (Mandragora officinarum) of the Nightshade family, having a fleshy root, often forked, and supposed to resemble a man. It was therefore supposed to have animal life, and to cry out when pulled up. All parts of the plant are strongly narcotic. It is found in the Mediterranean region. And shrieks like mandrakes, torn out of the earth, That living mortals, hearing them, run mad. --Shak. Note: The mandrake of Scripture was perhaps the same plant, but proof is wanting. 2. (Bot.) The May apple (Podophyllum peltatum). See May apple under May, and Podophyllum. [U.S.]
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