Hay Meaning
/heɪ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounGrass cut and dried for use as animal fodder.
nounAny mix of green leafy plants used for fodder.
Sentence Examples
If the hay caught fire, it would be a real disaster.
We stored the hay in the barn.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The farmer stored a large pile of ____ in the barn for the cows.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The farmer stacked the dry ____ in the barn to feed the animals during the winter.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English hey, from Old English hīeġ, from Proto-West Germanic *hawi, from Proto-Germanic *hawją, from *hawwaną (“to hew, cut down”). Cognate with West Frisian hea (“hay”), Alemannic German Heuw (“hay”), Cimbrian höobe (“hay”), Dutch hooi (“hay”), German Heu (“hay”), Luxembourgish Hee (“hay”), Mòcheno hei (“hay”), Yiddish היי (hey, “hay”), Danish hø (“hay”), Faroese hoyggj (“hay”), Gutnish hoy (“hay”), Icelandic hey (“hay”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk høy (“hay”), Swedish hö (“hay”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐍅𐌹 (hawi, “grass, hay”). More at hew.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Make hay while sunne shines."
— 1605, M. N. [pseudonym; William Camden], Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine, […], London: […] G[eorge] E[ld] for Simon Waterson, →OCLC:
"Hay may be dried too much as well as too little."
— 1857, Charles Louis Flint, Grasses and Forage Plants: A Practical Treatise, […] :
"Jeff Spicoli, roll me another hay"
— 1994, “Bug Powder Dust”, performed by Bomb the Bass:
"My men like Satyres grazing on the lawnes,
Shall with their Goate feete daunce an antick hay,"
— 1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
"I’ll make one in a dance, or so; or I will play
On the tabour to the Worthies, and let them dance the hay."
— c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The farmer stored a large pile of ____ in the barn for the cows.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The farmer stacked the dry ____ in the barn to feed the animals during the winter.