May Meaning
/meɪ/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo be strong; to have power (over).
verbTo be able; can.
Sentence Examples
I may give up soon and just nap instead.
I may be antisocial, but it doesn't mean I don't talk to people.
That may or may not be true.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The weather forecast says it ____ rain heavily later today.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The flowers in the garden begin to bloom in late ____, signaling the arrival of warmer weather.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English mowen, mayen, moȝen, maȝen, from Old English magan, from Proto-West Germanic *magan, from Proto-Germanic *maganą, from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ-. Cognate with Dutch mag (“may”, first- and third-person singular of mogen (“to be able to, be allowed to, may”)), Low German mögen, German mag (“like”, first- and third-person singular of mögen (“to like, want, require”)), Swedish må, Icelandic mega, megum. See also might.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"But many times[…]we give way to passions we may resist and will not."
— 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 6:
"O weary night, O long and tedious night,
Abate thy houres, shine comforts from the East,
That I may backe to Athens by day-light […]."
— 1600, William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, III.3:
"The result may not quite give the Wearsiders a sweet ending to what has been a sour week, following allegations of sexual assault and drug possession against defender Titus Bramble, but it does at least demonstrate that their spirit remains strong in the face of adversity."
— 2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2-2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:
"Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return."
— 2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68:
"May God bless and keep you always / May your wishes all come true / May you always do for others / And let others do for you / May you build a ladder to the stars / And climb on every rung / May you stay forever young"
— 1974, Bob Dylan, “Forever Young”, in Planet Waves:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The weather forecast says it ____ rain heavily later today.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The flowers in the garden begin to bloom in late ____, signaling the arrival of warmer weather.