noun.
A maiden; a virgin.
noun.
A kinsman.
noun.
A person.
To celebrate May-day; take part in the festivities of Mayday: chiefly or only in the verbal noun maying and the derivative mayer: as, to go a maying.
noun.
The fifth month of the year, consisting of thirty-one days, reckoned on the continent of Europe and in America as the last month of spring, but in Great Britain commonly as the first of summer.
noun.
Figuratively, the early part or springtime of life.
noun.
[lowercase] The hawthorn: so called because it blooms in May. Also May-bush.
noun.
Some other plant, especially species of Spiræa: as, Italian may.
noun.
The festivities or games of May-day.
noun.
In Cambridge University, England, the Easter-term examination.
A. As an independent verb, or as a quasi-auxiliary: To have power; have ability; be able; can.
To indicate possibility with contingency.
In this sense, when a negative clause was followed by a contingent clause with if, may in the latter clause was formerly used elliptically, if I may meaning ‘if I can control it’ or ‘prevent it.’
Sometimes may is used merely to avoid a certain bluntness in putting a question, or to suggest doubt as to whether the person to whom the question is addressed will be able to answer it definitely.
The preterit might is similarly used, with some slight addition of contempt.
To indicate opportunity, moral power, or the absolute power residing in another agent.
In this sense may is scarcely used now in negative clauses, as permission refused amounts to an absolute prohibition, and accordingly removes all doubt or contingency.
To indicate desire, as in prayer, aspiration, imprecation, benediction, and the like. In this sense might is often used for a wish contrary to what can or must be: as, O that I might recall him from the grave !
In law, may in a statute is usually interpreted to mean must, when used not to confer a favor, but to impose a duty in the exercise of which the statute shows that the public or private persons are to be regarded as having an interest.
In conditional clauses. [Rare, except in clauses where permission is distinctly expressed.]
In concessive clauses.
In clauses expressing a purpose.