bay
1a body of water forming an indentation of the shoreline, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf.
South Atlantic States. an arm of a swamp.
a recess of land, partly surrounded by hills.
an arm of a prairie or swamp, extending into woods and partly surrounded by them.
Origin of bay
1Other words for bay
Words that may be confused with bay
Other definitions for bay (2 of 5)
Architecture.
any of a number of similar major vertical divisions of a large interior, wall, etc.: The nave is divided into six bays.
a division of a window between a mullion and an adjoining mullion or jamb.
Aeronautics.
any portion of an airplane set off by two successive bulkheads or other bracing members.
a compartment in an aircraft: a bomb bay;an engine bay.
a compartment, as in a barn for storing hay.
Also called drive bay .Computers. an open compartment in the console housing a computer's CPU in which a disk drive, tape drive, etc., may be installed.
Nautical.
the deck space between the anchor windlass and the stem of a vessel.
Origin of bay
2Other words for bay
Other definitions for bay (3 of 5)
a deep, prolonged howl, as of a hound on the scent.
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 preceded by at or to): a stag at bay; to bring an escaped convict to bay.
the situation of a person or thing that is forced actively to oppose or to succumb to some adverse condition (usually preceded by at or to).
the situation of being actively opposed by an animal, person, etc., so as to be powerless to act fully (often preceded by at).
to howl, especially with a deep, prolonged sound, as a hound on the scent.
to assail with deep, prolonged howling: a troubled hound baying the moon.
to bring to or to hold at bay: A dog bays its quarry.
Origin of bay
3Other words for bay
Other definitions for bay (4 of 5)
Origin of bay
4Other definitions for bay (5 of 5)
reddish brown.
a horse or other animal of reddish-brown color.
(of horses or other animals) having a reddish-brown body.
Origin of bay
5Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use bay in a sentence
The Raptor carries six AMRAAMs and two shorter range AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles inside its weapons bays.
Pentagon Worries That Russia Can Now Outshoot U.S. Stealth Jets | Dave Majumdar | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis enclosure will isolate the battery from the rest of the equipment in the electronic bays.
Passenger Flights Must Stop Carrying Lithium-Ion Batteries as Cargo | Clive Irving | May 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe X-47B, is stealthy and has weapons bays, and the Navy loves showing it off to reporters.
The Killer Drone Goes Stealthy—Just in Time for a New Cold War | Zach Rosenberg | April 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis should make for some really unhappy work bays, and some really entertaining photos.
Wall Street Bonuses Tumble, But Bankers Have Nowhere to Go | Aaron Timms | March 2, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTThere are two principal bays of vast size, one called the gulf of St. Lawrence, the other French bay.
New France has an exceedingly varied sea-coast, indented by bays and rivers, broken and irregular.
It is placed upon a hill, and commands a view of the Organ mountain, and one of the bays.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida PfeifferAt the bottom of this arm are two deep bays which were partially but sufficiently examined.
In all our search we found no water, but old wells on the sandy bays.
British Dictionary definitions for bay (1 of 5)
/ (beɪ) /
a wide semicircular indentation of a shoreline, esp between two headlands or peninsulas
an extension of lowland into hills that partly surround it
US an extension of prairie into woodland
Origin of bay
1British Dictionary definitions for bay (2 of 5)
/ (beɪ) /
an alcove or recess in a wall
any partly enclosed compartment, as one in which hay is stored in a barn
See bay window
an area off a road in which vehicles may park or unload, esp one adjacent to a shop, factory, etc
a compartment in an aircraft, esp one used for a specified purpose: the bomb bay
nautical a compartment in the forward part of a ship between decks, often used as the ship's hospital
British a tracked recess in the platform of a railway station, esp one forming the terminus of a branch line
Origin of bay
2British Dictionary definitions for bay (3 of 5)
/ (beɪ) /
a deep howl or growl, esp of a hound on the scent
at bay
(of a person or animal) forced to turn and face attackers: the dogs held the deer at bay
at a distance: to keep a disease at bay
bring to bay to force into a position from which retreat is impossible
(intr) to howl (at) in deep prolonged tones
(tr) to utter in a loud prolonged tone
(tr) to drive to or hold at bay
Origin of bay
3British Dictionary definitions for bay (4 of 5)
/ (beɪ) /
Also called: bay laurel, sweet bay a small evergreen Mediterranean laurel, Laurus nobilis, with glossy aromatic leaves, used for flavouring in cooking, and small blackish berries: See laurel (def. 1)
any of various other trees with strongly aromatic leaves used in cooking, esp a member of the genera Myrica or Pimenta
any of several magnolias: See sweet bay
any of certain other trees or shrubs, esp bayberry
(plural) a wreath of bay leaves: See laurel (def. 6)
Origin of bay
4British Dictionary definitions for bay (5 of 5)
/ (beɪ) /
a moderate reddish-brown colour
(as adjective): a bay horse
an animal of this colour, esp a horse
Origin of bay
5Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for bay
[ bā ]
A body of water partially enclosed by land but having a wide outlet to the sea. A bay is usually smaller than a gulf.
A space in the cabinet of a personal computer where a storage device, such as a disk drive or CD-ROM drive, can be installed.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with bay
see at bay.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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