▪ I. may, n.1 poet. (arch.)
(meɪ)
Forms: [? 1 mǽᵹ], 3 maȝȝ, mayȝ, 3–4 mai, 4–6 maye, 5 mey, 4– may.
[Perh. a. ON. m{obar}yj- (nom. mǽ-r, accus. m{obar}y, mey; Sw. mö, Da. m{obar}) = Goth. mawi:—OTeut. *maujâ-, *ma{supg}wjâ-, fem. f. *magu-z (Goth. magu-s) boy, son: see maiden.
The OE. poet. mǽᵹ kinswoman (cogn. with mǽᵹ masc. may n.2) often occurs with the sense ‘woman’, and sometimes appears to mean ‘maid’ or ‘virgin’. This use has been commonly regarded as the source of the present word; the OE. and the ON. word may have coalesced in ME.]
A maiden, virgin.
| [a 900 Cynewulf Crist 87 (Gr.) Sio eadᵹe mæᵹ..Sancta Maria. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 895 (Gr.) Him þa freolecu mæᵹ [sc. Eve]..andswarode.] c 1200 Ormin 2489 Þatt clene maȝȝ þatt shollde ben Allmahhtiȝ Godess moderr. c 1275 Lay. 30486 Þe king dude [vnwis]dom þat he þat ilke may nom [earlier text maide]. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 194/26 To bringue luþer þouȝt In-to þis swete ȝounge mayȝ. a 1300 Cursor M. 10267 Þat man..Þat has na barn, ne mai ne knaue. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 95 Þe corounyng of Henry, & of Malde þat may. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xii. 111 Marie moder and may. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 753 Thow glorie of wommanhede, thow faire may. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. i. 22 Sibilla the may. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Nov. 39 The fayrest May she was that euer went. 1590 Greene Mourn. Garm. (1616) C 3 b, Nor was Phillis that fair May Halfe so gawdy or so gay. 1607 Barley-Breake (1877) 5 Old Elpin with his sweete and louely May Would oft prepare..To keepe their sheep. 16.. Sir Cauline iii. in Child Ballads II. 58 Deerlye [he] lovde this may. 1818 T. L. Peacock Nightmare Abbey 119 For ill beseems in a reverend friar The love of a mortal may. 1855 Fraser's Mag. LI. 92 The maiden is pure all mays above. 1870 Morris Earthly Par. II. iii. 349 Amid these latter words of his, the may From her fair face had drawn her hands away. |
▪ II. † may, n.2 Obs.
Forms: 1 mǽᵹ, (meeᵹ, méᵹ), pl. máᵹas, 2 maiȝ, 3 mæi, mæȝ, mei, mey, (meay), mai, may.
[Com. Teut.: OE. mǽᵹ = OFris. mêch, OS. mâg (MLG. mâch, Du. maag), OHG. mâg (MHG. mâc, mâg-), ON. mág-r (adopted in northern Eng. as maugh), Goth. mēg-s:—OTeut. *mæ̂go-z, prob. related by ablaut to *magu-z son, boy (Goth. magu-s, ON. mǫg-r): see maiden.]
A male relative, kinsman.
| Beowulf 408 Ic eom Hiᵹelaces mæᵹ and maᵹoðeᵹn. a 700 Epinal Gloss. 164 Contribulus, meeᵹ. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Mark xiii. 12 Þa bearn ariseð aȝen heore maiȝes. a 1200 Moral Ode 187 Nolde it mouwe don for mey ne suster for broþer. c 1205 Lay. 3838 Þurh þe haueð Morgan mi mæi [c 1275 mey] is monschipe afallet. a 1300 in E.E.P. (1862) 17 Alle we beþ meiis and mowe. |
▪ III. may, n.4
(meɪ)
see may v.1 11.
▪ IV. may, v.1
(meɪ; unstressed mɛ)
Forms: see below.
[A Com. Teut. vb., belonging (by conjugation if not by origin) to the class of preterite-presents, in which the present tense has the inflexion of a strong preterite, while the past tense is formed from the root by means of a suffix: cf. can, dare, dow, mote (must), owe, shall, wot. The OE. mæᵹ, maᵹon, meahte (later mihte), correspond to OFris. mei, mugun, machte, OS. mag, mugun, mahta (Du. mag, mogen, mocht), OHG. mag, magum (mugum), mahta (MHG. mag, magen, mohte, mod.G. mag, mögen, mochte), ON. má, megom, mátte (Sw. må, måtte, Da. maa, maatte), Goth. mag, magum, mahta. The primary sense of the verb is to be strong or able, to have power; the root OTeut. *mag-, OAryan *magh-, appears in might n., OSl. mogą I can, Gr. µῆχος contrivance, µηχανή machine, Skr. mahan great.
The conjugation is abnormal; according to Brugmann Grundriss II. §887 the verb was originally a thematic present with weak root-vowel, and was attracted into the preterite-present class by analogy.]
A. Inflexional Forms.
† 1. inf. Obs. Forms: (α) 1 maᵹan, 3 muȝen, Ormin muȝhenn, 4 mowen, mow, 5 mown, 4–5 moun, 4–6 mowe(n.
| c 1050 De Consuet. Monach. in Anglia XIII. 389 Posse carere, maᵹan þolian. c 1200 Ormin 3944 Þatt mann⁓kinn shollde muȝhenn wel Upp cumenn inntill heoffne. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1818 Hu sal ani man ðe muȝen deren? a 1340 Hampole Psalter xvii. 41 Þai sall noght mow stand. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. met. i. (1868) 110 Þou..shalt mowen retourne hool & sounde. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 2 Thou schalt mowe senden hire a lettre. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 346/2 Mown, or haue myȝhte.., possum. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 5 No Ship of greate burdon shall mowe comme..in the seid Haven. 1533 More Apol. xxii. Wks. 885/1 Some waye that appered..to mow stande the realme in great stede. |
(β) 5–6 may, (5 maye).
| 1435 Misyn Fire of Love 15, I haue denyed hym to may be knawen. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 26 As longe that I shalle maye bere armes. 1503 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione iii. lxiv. 258 Nor stronge helpers shal nat may helpe. 1532 Cranmer Let. in Misc. Writ. (Parker Soc.) II. 233, I fear that the emperor will depart thence, before my letters shall may come unto your grace's hands. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Possum..To may, or can. |
2. ind. pres. a. 1st and 3rd pers. sing. may. Forms: 1 mæᵹ, meᵹ, (mæiᵹ, maᵹ), 2 mayȝ, 2–3 maiȝ, mei, 2–4 mai, 2–5 mey, 3 mæi, Ormin maȝȝ, 3–6 ma, maye, 5–6 maie, 3– may.
The ONorthumbrian writers often use the subjunctive forms (mæᵹe, -æ, -o, -i) instead of those of the indicative.
| Beowulf 2801 (Gr.) Ne mæᵹ ic her leng wesan. c 825 Vesp. Psalter lxxvii. 19 Ah meᵹ god ᵹearwian biod in woestenne? a 1100 Gerefa in Anglia IX. 261 æfre he mæiᵹ findan on ðam he mæiᵹ nyt beon. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Matt. vi. 24 Ne mayȝ nam man twam hlaferden þeowian. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 9 Ne þe deofel mey nefre cumen inne him. c 1200 Ormin 6199 Þa birrþ þin macche gætenn þe All þatt ȝho maȝȝ fra sinne. c 1220 Bestiary 516 Ðe smale he wile ðus biswiken, ðe grete maiȝ he noȝt bigripen. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 295 Ðowȝte ðis quead, ‘hu ma it ben?’ c 1275 Passion our Lord 68 in O.E. Misc. 39 As ich eu seȝȝe may. 1382 Wyclif Phil. iv. 13, I may alle thingis in him that comfortith me. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 40 And my paper it conteyne ne may. 1503 in Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc. (1902) 152 Alex. maye I trust the? 1551 T. Wilson Logike (1580) 31 b, This maie bee true, and this maie bee false. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 33 Bot luke on that, quhilk now ma not be sene. |
b. 2nd pers. sing. mayest, mayst (ˈmeɪɪst, meɪst). Forms: (α) 1 meaht, Northumb. mæht, Kent. meht, 1–4 miht, 2–3 myht, 3 maht, (Ormin mahht), mayhte, maucht, meiht, micht, (mith), 4 maiȝt, mait, mayt, mate, (mayth), myht, myȝt, 5 mat, myȝte.
In 12th–14th c. þ and s are sometimes found for h, ȝ.
| 8.. Kent. Gl. in Wr.-Wülcker 58/11 Si uales.., ᵹif ðu meht. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke vi. 42, & hu mæht [c 1000 Ags. Gosp. miht, c 1160 Hatton myht] ðu cuoæða broðre ðinum [etc.]. c 1200 Ormin 7779 Depe sinness þatt tu mahht Wel nemmnenn dæde werrkess. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 258 Ase þu ert freo & wilt & maucht. c 1205 Lay. 2981 Þu mith [c 1275 miht] me wel ileue. a 1225 Ancr. R. 276 And so þu meiht icnowen þine owune woke unstrencðe. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 31 Yef þu wilt þu me micht makie hool. c 1275 Luue Ron 31 Ibid. 94 Þus is þes world as þu mayht seo. a 1300 Cursor M. 26575 For sua þou mate noght wasch þi wite. c 1330 Spec. Gy Warw. 881 Þerfore worch, while þu mait, For sodeyneliche þu might be caiht. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 146 Her thou miht [B. i. 170 myȝtow] seon ensaumple in hymselfe one. 1426 Audelay Poems 8 Ellys i-savyd thou mat noȝt be. c 1450 Myrc 15 Here thow myȝte fynde & rede. |
(β) β. 4–5 maiste, mayste, 4–7 maist, (5 maxste), 5–6 maiest, 4– mayst, 6– mayest, may'st.
[A new formation on may.]
| c 1374 Chaucer Compl. Mars 112 Wel maist thou wepe and crien. c 1385 ― L.G.W. 504 That mayst thow sen sche kytheth what sche is. 1470–85 Malory Arth. iv. x. 131 Thow arte ouercome and maxste not endure. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 21 b, Take not from me that that thou maiest not yeue me. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 7 In this Booke thou mayest reade many straunge thinges. 1640 Brome Sparagus Garden ii. iii, Thou maist make a Country gentleman in time. 1717 Pope Eloïsa 325 In sacred vestments may'st thou stand. 1819 Shelley Cenci v. iv. 155 So mayest thou do as I do. 1821 ― Hellas 844 Thou mayst behold How cities [etc.]. |
(γ) Chiefly Sc. and north. 4 mai, 4–5 may, 4–6 ma, 5 maye.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 290 Behald þe sune and þou mai se. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints i. (Petrus) 380, I am Resine, as þou ma se. a 1400–50 Alexander 1090 May þou oȝt, lede, þe ȝonder lawe lyft on þi schulder? c 1440 Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) i. lxxii, Thou maye [1533 mayst] not lyue wythout mete and drynke. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xc. 34 Thow ma rycht weill in thi mynde consydder That [etc.]. |
c. pl. may. Forms: (α) 1 maᵹon, (un, -an), mahon, maᵹe(n, Northumb. maᵹa, -o, 2–3 maȝe(n, 3 mahen, mah, mawe, 3–5 mawen.
| c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. i. i. (Schipper) 11 Oðer ealond..þæt we maᵹon oft leohtum daᵹum ᵹeseon. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xx. 22 Maᵹaᵹe [c 975 Rushw. maᵹon ᵹit, c 1000 Ags. Gosp. maᵹe ᵹyt, c 1160 Hatton muᵹen ᵹyt] drinca calic ðone ic drinca willo. a 1122 OE. Chron. an. 656 (MS. E), Ealle þa þa to Rome na maᵹen faren. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 21 We ne maȝen alre coste halden crist bibode. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 361 Cleopest þeo þinges godes, þæt nowðer sturien ne mahen ne steoren ham seoluen. a 1250 Prov. ælfred 14 in O.E. Misc. 102 Heom he bi-gon lere so ye mawe [other text muȝen] i-hure. 1439 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. Introd. 56 Yer is so grete scarstee of maistres of gramer, whereof as now ben almost none, nor none mawen be hade in your Universitees. |
(β) 1 mæᵹon, 4 mai, north. mais, 4–6 ma, etc. as in 1st and 3rd pers. sing.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxiii. 176 Ða þe medomlice & wel mæᵹon [Hatton MS. maᵹon] læran. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John xiii. 36 Ne mæᵹon [c 975 Rushw. maᵹun] ᵹie mec nu fylᵹe. a 1300 Cursor M. 5518 We ma sua our landes tin. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxvi. (Baptista) 761 Sum cristine þare wonnyne mais. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 51 Men mai recovere lost of good. c 1400 Cursor M. 29132 (Cotton Galba) We mey se by saint austin lare [etc.]. a 1400–50 Alexander 684 May ȝe oȝt me in any maner to þat sterne schewe? |
(γ) 2–3 muȝen, (2 muȝon, muȝe), 3 muhen, muwe(n, mouwen, (Ormin muȝhenn), muȝhe, Kent. muee, mohe, mo, 3–4 moȝe(n, 3–5 mowen, 4 mou, mu, 4–5 mowne, moun, mow, 5 mown, mowghe, 6 mowe.
| c 1160 Hatton Gosp. John xiv. 5 Hu muᵹe we þanne wei cunnan? a 1175 Cott. Hom. 221 Ne hi muȝen ne hi nelleð nane synne ȝewercon. Ibid. 223 Imuȝon [= ye may] ȝecnowen eiȝðer god and euyl. c 1200 Ormin 13408 We muȝhenn sen whatt itt bihallt. a 1225 Ancr. R. 44 Toward te preostes tiden herkneð se wel ȝe muwen. c 1230 Hali Meid. 43 Ne muhen ha nanes weis bedden in a breoste. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 27 Ye muee wel under-stonde..þet [etc.]. c 1250 Death 255 Ibid. 184 Þenne mohe [Jesus MS. muwe] we cwemen crist at þe dom. c 1290 Beket 979 in S. Eng. Leg. 134 Wel ȝe mouwen i-seo þat he is prouȝt. a 1300 Cursor M. 22559 Quine mak þai, sin þai sua mu [Gött. mv, Trin. mow] Anoþer heuen and erth? 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 185 Foules mowe not lyue þere. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xx. 273 Hem whiche kunnen not rede or moun not here the word of God. c 1475 Partenay 5446 And ye mow noght, Alway here byde moste ye. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 392 In alle þe hast þat euer they mown. a 1553 Udall Royster D. iv. iv. (Arb.) 66 Ralph Roister Doister, whome ye know well mowe [rime you]. |
3. subj. pres. may. Forms: (α) sing. 1 mæᵹe, (mæhᵹe, mæᵹᵹe), Mercian meᵹe, Northumb. mæᵹæ, mæᵹi, Kent. meiᵹe, 3 meih, 2– (as in ind.). pl. 1 mæᵹen, meᵹen, Northumb. mæᵹi, mæᵹon, etc.
| Beowulf 680 Þeah ic eal mæᵹe. 8.. Kent. Glosses in Wr.-Wülcker 81/32 Ne..non possis, ðe les ðu ne meiᵹe. c 825 Vesp. Psalter lxx. 8 Ðæt ic meᵹe singan wuldur ðin alne deᵹ. c 950 Rit. Dunelm. (Surtees) 95 Ðe mæᵹi hia ædeava [L. tibi valeant apparere]. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John xxi. 25 Nidoemo ic þætti middanᵹeord mæᵹi bifoa ðailco ðaðe [etc.]. c 1205 Lay. 1206, & ȝif ich þat lond mai [c 1275 mawe] bi-ȝeten. a 1225 Ancr. R. 230 Ȝif þu..meih. 14.. in Horstmann Hampole's Wks. (1895) I. 105 If þou may. a 1553 Udall Royster D. iv. vii. (Arb.) 72 Saue thy head if thou may. |
(β) sing. 1 maᵹe, 2–3 maȝe, muȝe, (3 Ormin muȝhe), muhe, muwe, moȝe, mawe, 3–5 mowe, 4 mow. pl. 1 maᵹon, -en, (mahan), 3 Ormin muȝhenn, 4–5 mowe(n, etc. (as in ind.).
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. vii. §3 (Sedgefield) 18 Þæt him þa stormas deriᵹan ne mæᵹen [v.r. mahan]. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xv. 5 Telle þas steorran, ᵹif þu maᵹe. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 400 ᵹif we hit maᵹen wihte aþencan. c 1121 O.E. Chron. an. 675 (MS. E), And he ne muᵹe hit forðian. c 1200 Ormin 2419 Hu maȝȝ þiss forþedd wurrþenn, Þatt I wiþþ childe muȝhe ben? c 1205 Lay. 1520 Wheðer ich maȝe [c 1275 mawe] þe ufere hond habben. a 1225 Ancr. R. 68 Iðen ilke huse, oðer þer he muwe [MS. T, muhe] iseon touward ou. c 1275 Prov. ælfred 561 in O.E. Misc. 132 Ȝif..þu ne moȝe mid strenghe þe selwen steren. a 1300 Havelok 675 Yif me gold and oþer fe Þat y mowe riche be. 1414 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 59/1 That these..meschiefs..mowen ben amended. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 131 Chaunge hem yf thou mowe. a 1450 Myrc 95 And but scho mowe se þe hed. |
4. ind. and subj. pa. a. 1st and 3rd pers. sing. might (maɪt). Forms: 1 meahte, mehte, Northumb. mæhte, 1–4 mihte, 2–3 micte, 2–4 myhte, 3 michte, miitte, myht, mahte, Ormin mihhte, 3–5 miȝte, myȝte, 3–6 miȝt, myȝt, 4–5 mighte, 4–6 Sc. micht, mycht, 4–7 myght, (4 miht, miȝth, Sc. macht, 4, 8–9 (chiefly Sc.) mith, 5 meghte, myte, myth, 6 mythe, 6–7 myt, 7 may't, 8–9 Sc. meith), 4– might.
| c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. viii. 28 Swa þætte mæniᵹ mæhte faran þurh wæᵹe þæm. a 1000 Guthlac 548 Hit ne meahte swa. a 1000 Boeth. Metr. xi. 102 ᵹif hit meahte swa. 1154 OE. Chron. an. 1137 (MS. E), Ðæt he ne myhte nowiðer⁓wardes. c 1205 Lay. 1205 To ane wnsume londe þer ich mihte wunien. a 1225 St. Marher. 13 Ne mahte me na mon ouercomen. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1483 Ȝif it miȝte be ido. a 1300 K. Horn 9 Feyrore child ne myhte be born. a 1300–1400 Cursor M. 466 (Gött.) In heuen might [Cott. moght, Fairf. miȝt, Trin. myȝte] he no langer abide. Ibid. 686 Saufli mith þai samen slepe. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 3 He was of grete elde, & myght not trauaile. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vi. (Thomas) 247 Til he thocht quhat vyse he micht torment þam. c 1375 Ibid. xiii. (Marcus) 180 Þat stand one fut na man macht. c 1400 Adam Davy's Dreams 14 He ne miȝth þennes goo ne ride. 1415 Sir T. Grey in 43 Dep. Kpr's. Rep. 583, I said treuly I meghte not but I wolde cum. c 1440 Gesta Rom. liii. 233 He lernid to be a phisicien, that myte be in eny place. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iii. xi. 111 Rydynge..as fast as she myȝt dryue. a 1529 Skelton Woffully Araid 33 in Wks. (Dyce) I. 142 What myȝt I suffir more Than I haue don? 1536 Anc. Cal. Rec. Dublin (1889) I. 499 In that he mythe..obtayne the kyng hys vaverys. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 6 It myghte happelye haue comen to passe. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 60 He mycht haue bene ane marrow to ane Quene. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 168 Would I might But euer see that man. 1819 Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 116 A man mith weel had heard the clutter..o'their chafts. |
b. 2nd pers. sing. mightest (ˈmaɪtɪst). Forms: 1 meahtest, (Subj. meahte), Northumb. mæhtest, (mihtes, mæht(t)es ðu), 1–3 mihtest, 2 mahtest, myhtes, 2–3 myhtest, 3 mihtes, Ormin mihhtesst, 4 miȝtes, 4–5 miȝtest, 5 myȝt-, mightist, myghttyst, 4– mightest.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xx. (Sedgefield) 48 Mid hu micelan feo woldest þu þa habban ᵹeboht þæt ðu switole mihtest tocnawan þine frind & ðine fynd? a 900 Cynewulf Crist 1431 Þæt..þu meahte minum weorþan mæᵹ-wlite ᵹelic. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark xiv. 37 Ne mæhtes [Rushw. mæhttes, Ags. & Hatton mihtes] ðu an huil ᵹewæccæ? 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1137 (MS. E), Wel þu myhtes faren all a dæis fare sculdes thu neure finden man in tune sittende. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 29 Hu mahtest þu gan to þine aȝene liche Ȝif þin hefet were offe? c 1200 Ormin 5160 Ȝiff þatt tu mihhtesst lufenn Godd. c 1205 Lay. 28112 Ȝet þu mihtest þe awreken. c 1275 Passion our Lord 168 in O.E. Misc. 42 Ne Myhtestu one tyde wakien myd me? a 1300 Cursor M. 13559 Art þou not he Þat ȝondir day miȝtes not se? a 1425 Ibid. 9847 (Trin.) Þus miȝtestou selcouþ calle If þou him say. 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 62 Then wouldest thou gladly (if thou might) do well. 1535 Coverdale Ps. l[i]. 4 That thou mightest be iustified in thy saynges. [So 1611.] 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. viii. 48 War nocht o{supr} faith defendit,..Than þow myt writte in gennerall. |
c. pl. might (maɪt). Forms: 1 meahton (Subj. -en), mihton, Northumb. mæhtun, -on, mæᵹhton, mæhtes, mæhtæs, (1–2 mihte, myhte we, etc.), 2 mehten, miht(i), micht(i), 2–4 mihten, (3 mæhte, mahte, miþte), 3–4 myhten, miȝtin, miȝtten, myȝtten, 4–5 miȝten, myȝten, myghten, 4– as in 1st and 3rd pers. sing.
| Beowulf 314 Him þa hildedeor hof modiᵹra torht ᵹetæhte, þæt hie him to mihton ᵹeᵹnum gangan. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xii. 14 Huu hine mæhtes to lose ᵹedoa [Vulg. perderent]. Ibid. xxvi. 40 Ne mæhto ᵹie [c 1160 Hatton ne myhte ᵹe] ane tid wæcca mec mið? c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives iv. 326 And bebyriᵹdon hine swa swa hie selost mihton on. 11.. O.E. Chron. an. 1066 (MS. C), Þet hi ne micte þa brigge oferstiᵹan. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 129 And ne mehten þer naleng etstonden. c 1250 Prov. ælfred 31 in O.E. Misc. 104 How ye myhte [c 1275 we miȝtin] worldes wrþsipes welde. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 202 Wher thei the profit mihten cacche. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. i. 279 That in tho citees the peple of clerkis myȝten..dwelle. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. v. 125 He was so heuy that an C men myght not lyfte hyt vp. 1508 Dunbar Flyting w. Kennedie 468 Thay micht haue tane the collum at the last. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 27 Two iron Coffers..full as they might hold. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 93 That..quhen thay walde thay my{supt} schote..a darte. |
(β) mought (məʊt). Now dial. and in regional English (esp. Black English) in the U.S. (This form had an extensive literary currency in the 16th and 17th c.; it is often difficult to distinguish from the archaic mote v., which was by confusion frequently written mought.) Forms: 1–2 muhte, 4–5 moht, moȝt(e, moghte, mouȝt, mowcht, muȝt, mught, 4–6 moght, mocht, (4 mouht, moucht(e, mouthe, mouct(h)e, mowcte, 5 mowȝt, mouth, mowth, 6 moughte, 8 mucht, 9 mowt, mout, mught), 6– mought. Also 2nd pers. sing. 6–7 mought(e)st; pl. 1–2 muhton, -en, 4 moȝten, etc.
| O.E. Chron. an. 992 (MS. E), ᵹif hi muhton þone here ahwær betræþþen. Ibid. an. 1004 He þa ᵹegaderode his fyrde diᵹlice swa he swyðost muhte. Ibid. an. 1140 Þa hi ne leng ne muhten þolen þa stali hi ut & fluᵹen. a 1300 Cursor M. 2085 He liued lelly quylist he moȝt. Ibid. 14830 And quar-for sent we yow..Bot for to tak him if yee moght [Trin. mouȝt]? 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1953 Þay maden as mery as any men moȝten. c 1375 Cursor M. 12686 (Fairf.) His knes ware bolned squa þat he muȝt vnneþes ga. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andreas) 890 Þat mycht na man..Sa wel do as he mowcht. c 1400 Cursor M. 23223 (Edinb.) Quil þou moht turn þin hand about, it sud worise wit-outen dout. c 1450 Ibid. 16538 (Laud) They seid it not mowth. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 492, I vndertuk thay suld be brocht, This day for ocht that be mocht. 1488 Anc. Cal. Rec. Dublin (1889) I. 493 A yeman..keste a spere into the see..as far as he moghte. a 1529 Skelton Col. Cloute 581 They mought be better aduysed Then to be so dysgysed. a 1557 M. Basset tr. More's Treat. Passion M.'s Wks. 1310/1 The traytour mought haue caused hym and hys dysciples to bee taken. 1565 Turberv. Epit. etc. 25 b, Thou hast fled the place..Where thou moughtst chat with me thy fill. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 42 So sound he slept, that nought mought him awake. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. Introd. §8 Wher such as were so disposed, mought give themselves to Histories. 1638 Quarles Emblems, Hierogl. vii. (1639) 347 There was no Cave-begotten damp that mought Abuse her beams. 1690 in Wolseley Marlborough II. 212 Soe that the garisons mought pay for what they take. 1718 Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. iii. xv, He..Ca'd her a jade, and said she mucht ‘Gae hame’. 1810 S. Green Reformist I. 88 You mought as well, Sir, ax for one of their lives. 1849 C. Brontë Shirley viii, I mught as weel tell him that at t'same time. 1872 Schele de Vere Americanisms 508 In North Carolina ‘it mout be’ is a standing phrase for perhaps. 1885 Tennyson Spinster's Sweet-arts vii, Or I mowt 'a liked tha as well. 1885 Miss Murfree Prophet Gt. Smoky Mts. i. 27 They mought jounce round hyar ez ef they war bereft o' reason. 1927 A. P. Randolph in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 203 You can't 'speck des ‘nigger’ bosses to speak up for our rights when it mought cos dey jobs. 1933 J. M. Brewer in Ibid. 248/2 Yuh mought as well die wid de chills. 1938 M. K. Rawlings Yearling 144 Mought be, we'll find 'em in a pen some'eres. |
† 5. pres. pple. Obs. Forms: 1 maᵹende, Kent. meᵹende, 4 mowende, 5 mouwynge, mowing, -yng, 6 maeyinge.
| 8.. Kent. Glosses in Wr.-Wülcker 61/1 Nec ualens, na meᵹende. c 1000 ælfric Gram. (Z.) 251 Quiens, maᵹende. 1382 Wyclif Prov. vii. 11 Ne mowende in the hous abide stille with hir feet. c 1440 Love Bonavent. Mirr. liv. 109 Peter..noght mouwynge reste. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 2672 Noght mowing dye in realle clothis of his deitee. 1487 Will Knight (Somerset Ho.), Not mowyng for hastynesse of deth to refo{supr}me his testament. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) M ix, Maeyinge suffer no more the loue & deathe of Aurelio. |
† 6. pa. pple. Obs. Forms: 5 mowed, mowte, mow(e, myght, 6 mought.
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxix. 298 Wee wolde han gon toward the Trees..ȝif wee had myght. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1951, I wold haue be thens, yef I had mowte. 1440 in Wars Eng. in France (Rolls) II. 454 Whiche was not lyke mowed to be borne. 1490 Caxton How to Die 7 Whan the deuyll hath not mowe ne can not induce the man to goo oute of the fayth. c 1500 Melusine 27 Thenne he had nat mow say one only word. c 1510 More Picus Wks. 7/2 Ye haue mought oftentimes, & yet maie desceyue me. |
† 7. vbl. n. mowing, q.v. Obs.
B. Signification and uses. I. As a verb of complete predication.
† 1. intr. To be strong; to have power or influence; to prevail (over). With adv., (it) may well with: (it) can well support or endure. if I may: if I have any power in the matter; hence, if I can avoid or prevent it. Obs.
In OE. ic mæᵹ wel = I am in good health. [So MHG. ich mag wol.]
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter ix. 20 Aris dryhten ne meᵹ mon [Vulg. non prævaleat homo]. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 300 Heo mæᵹ wið maneᵹa untrumnyssa. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xxix. 6 Þa cwæð he: Hu mæᵹ he? Hiᵹ cwædon þæt he wel mihte. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1137 (MS. E), Hi..ræueden munekes & clerekes & æuric man other þe ouer myhte. c 1200 Ormin 8043 Þatt ifell gast maȝȝ oferr þa Þatt follȝhenn barrness þæwess. c 1375 Cursor M. 5869 (Fairf.) Þai salle for-soþ if atte I may, wirk ij dayes werk a-pon a day. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 690 My body at the leeste way Ther shal no wight defoulen, if I may. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xiii. 191 Lynne-seed and lik-seed..Aren nouht so worthy as whete, ne so wel mowen In þe feld with þe forst. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P. R. xii. xxvii. (1495) 429 The kite is a byrde that maye well wyth traueylle. Ibid. xviii. lxxxi. 833 Shepe that haue longe taylles may worse wyth wynter than those that haue brode taylles. c 1430 Pol. Rel. & L. Poems 197/93 For & þou ouer me myȝtist, as y ouer þee may. |
† b. With cognate obj. (might, power). Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 7708 He him soght Wit all þe mightes [Gött. miht] Þat he moght. Ibid. 18064 He þat suilkins mightes moght. c 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 366 God help him, that all mychtis may! c 1470 Henry Wallace iii. 396 For all the power thai mocht. |
II. As an auxiliary of predication; with a following simple inf., or with ellipsis of this.
May shares with various other auxiliary vbs. (as can, will, shall) the characteristic that the inflected past subjunctive (though coinciding formally with the past indicative) retains its original functions. Like other past subjunctives, might is frequently used in a sense which differs from that of the present form not temporally but modally (partly corresponding to the ‘present conditional’ of Romanic grammar). The fact that might thus admits of three different meanings is sometimes productive of ambiguity, which has to be avoided by recourse to some different form of expression. Further, may agrees with certain other auxiliaries in having no pa. pple.; hence its pa. tense is used with a following perfect infinitive where logical correctness would require the plupf. tense (ind. or subj.) of the auxiliary followed by a present infinitive. Thus, in sense 3 below, he might do may be paraphrased either ‘he was free to do’ or ‘he would be free to do’; and he might have done = either ‘he had been free to do’ or ‘he would have been free to do’.
2. Expressing ability or power; = can v.1 4. Obs. exc. arch.
| 9.. Durham Admon. in O.E. Texts 176 ᵹif men ferlice wyrde unsofte, oððe sprecan ne maeᵹe. c 1175 Cott. Hom. 229 Ne michti hi alle hin acwelle. ȝef he sylf nold. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 185 Swo muchel muriðe is in þe bureh of heuene, þat eie ne maiȝ swo muchel biholden. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 349 Corineus..so strong was of honde..him ne miȝte no man ne no geant at stonde. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 577 A best þat men Lynx calles, Þat may se thurgh thik stane walles. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. 128 We mowen nat..It ouer-take, it slit awey so faste. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxxi. 115 (Harl. MS.) The Oynementes shal lose his tethe, In so muche that he shalle not mow fight ayenste the lenger. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. cxxvii. 106 Charged with as moche gold and syluer as we mowe bere bitwene our handes. 1530 Palsgr. 670/1 He..shotte at me as harde as he myght drive. 1582 Bentley Mon. Matrones ii. 14 No man may separate me from thee. 1627 Drayton Nymphidia (1753) II. 460 Thy mighty strokes who may withstand? 1857 [see 9 a]. |
3. Expressing objective possibility, opportunity, or absence of prohibitive conditions; = can v.1 6. Now with mixture of sense 5.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xviii. §2 (Sedgefield) 42 Hu maᵹ ðær..synderlice anes rices monnes nama cuman? c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Mark ii. 4 Hi ne mæhtun ᵹebringan hine him for menᵹo. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 15 Ȝe hit maȝen witen iwis þet hit is al for ure sunne. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9 Plente me may in engelond of alle gode ise. 1386 Chaucer Prol. 301 But al þat he myghte of his freendes hente, On..lernyng he it spente. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) ii. 10 Cedre may not, in Erthe ne in Watre, rote. c 1450 Merlin i. 22 ‘Alle these thynges’, quod Merlyn, ‘ne mowe the hynder in body, ne in sowle’. 1481 E. Paston in P. Lett. III. 278 Lete me have knowlache of ȝour mynde..whan ȝe shall moun be in this cuntre. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 5 b, For the lawe myght not delyuer them. 1623 Webster Duchess Malfi iii. i, A Count! he's a meere sticke of sugar-candy, (You may looke quite thorough him). 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 64 And when thou comest there, from thence,..thou maist see to the Gate of the Cœlestial City. 1781 Cowper Hope 209 A soldier may be anything, if brave. 1833 Tennyson Two Voices 303 He knows a baseness in his blood At such strange war with something good, He may not do the thing he would. 1884 ‘H. Conway’ Bound Together I. 55 Different people may hold different opinions as to whether life is pleasanter in large cities or small towns. 1903 D. M{supc}Lean Stud. Apostles iv. 58 You may force fruit, but you cannot force flavour. |
¶ b. The pa. tense indicative in this sense (he might = ‘he had opportunity to’, ‘it was possible for him to’) is, exc. in actual or virtual obliqua oratio, now obsolete, on account of the tendency to interpret might as subjunctive. In poetry might was sometimes nearly equivalent to ‘did’.
This use is strikingly characteristic of the style of Gibbon, as is also that explained under 5 c; it is often difficult to determine which of the two senses he intended.
| a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 23 She was a ladi of Fraunce, that might spende more thanne fyue hundred pounde bi yeere. 1515 Bp. West in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. I. 182 He that in a lytell tyme past myght spend a hundreth poundes by yere, may nott att thys day spend xxti. 1563 B. Googe Eglogs, etc. (Arb.) 109 And there I might discerne the Byrds that songe in euery tree. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 92 Toward that shade I might behold addrest, The King and his companions. 1676 G. Towerson Decalogue 384 In the infancy of the world such a practice might be..necessary to the peopling of it. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. xxx. (1828) IV. 51 But the reign of Stilicho drew towards its end; and the proud minister might perceive the symptoms of his approaching disgrace. |
c. Of an event or state of things.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18964 Hu..mai it be, Þat vr langage spek þai þus? 1390 Gower Conf. III. 330 Bot thei him tolde it mai noght be. 1449 Will Dolman (Somerset Ho.), After the discrecyon of myne Executo{supr}s as þe shal mow seme most..expedient. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. vi. 39 ‘Ah! dearest Lord’, (quoth she) ‘how might that bee, And he the stoutest knight that ever wonne?’ 1896 Law Times C. 508/2 One third, as nearly as may be, of the vestrymen first elected. |
d. const. passive inf.
| 8.. Kent. Glosses in Wr.-Wülcker 56/27 Et..non ualent comparari, and ne maᵹon bion wiðmetene. c 1290 Magdalena 102 in S. Eng. Leg. 465 Iudas..seide ‘it mai beon i-sold ful deore to bugge with muchel mete’. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 1194 Worldes worshepe may be cald Noght elles but vanite. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶213 Ther is noon oother name..by which a man may be saued but oonly Ihesus. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ii. xv. 93 A bedde arayed with clothe of gold the rychest that myghte be thought. c 1560 A. Scott Poems ii. 95 Thair wes no deth mycht be devynd. 1563 Homilies ii. Excess of Apparel (1859) 309 With whose traditions we may not be led, if we give ear to St. Paul. a 1648 Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 480 We have done nothing that may not be abiden by. 1741 Watts Improv. Mind ii. §1 When this observation relates to anything that immediately concerns ourselves..it may be called Experience. 1800 Wordsw. Michael 481 The remains Of the unfinished Sheep-fold may be seen Beside the boisterous brook of Greenhead Ghyll. |
† e. Coupled with can. Obs.
| 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1137 (MS. E), I ne can ne i ne mai tellen alle þe wunder. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 116 Wise clerkis..þat myȝten, couden, and wolden teche þe peple þe gospel. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1454 Now helpe me, lady, sith ye may and kan. 1486 in Four C. Eng. Lett. (1880) 7 Or ellis resorte ageyn to seintuary, if he can or maie. |
† f. In ME. poetry often in the formula as ye may hear (or lere), where shall would now be used.
| c 1250 Doomsday 74 in O.E. Misc. 166 Wið þe sunfule also ȝe mahen ihere Goð awariede gostes feondes ifere. c 1330 Assump. Virg. 4 (B.M. MS.) Ȝif ȝe wille to me here, Off owre ladi ȝe mai lere. c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 457 [She] went into a chambyr i-fere, And ful evyly, as ȝe mowe hyre. |
† g. occas. might = was ‘fit’ to. Obs.
| 14.. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems 279/138 Here tendre hert myth breste on iij Quan she sau here sone fre On rode hys lyf lete. |
h. In poetry, might is sometimes used to express past habit = used to, ‘would’.
| 1819 Keats Lamia 18 And in those meads where sometimes she might haunt, Were strewn rich gifts. |
i. might (subj.) is often used colloq. (a) with pres. inf. to convey a counsel or suggestion of action, or a complaint that some action is neglected; (b) with perf. inf. to express a complaint that some not difficult act of duty or kindness has been omitted.
| 1864 Meredith Emilia xxv, ‘I dare say he dined early in the day’, returned Emilia... ‘Yes, but he might laugh, all the same.’ 1894 G. M. Fenn In Alpine Valley I. 147 ‘They might have offered to help us..’ said Aunt Ecclesia, pettishly. |
4. Expressing permission or sanction: To be allowed (to do something) by authority, law, rule, morality, reason, etc.
| a 1000 Last Judgment 3 (Gr.) Oft mæᵹ se þe wile in his sylfes sefan soð ᵹeþencan. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xvi. 2 Ne miht þu lencg tun-scire bewitan. a 1225 Ancr. R. p. xxiv, Of þe þinges þe ȝe mahen underuon & hwet þinges ȝe mahen witen oðer habben. c 1430 Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. vi, Who-so that wolde frely mighte goon Into this park. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xx. 120 Where is it in Holi Scripture groundid..that men schulden or miȝten lauȝwe? 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. i. 35 And yf he wille not come at your somons thenne may ye do your best. 1550 Crowley Last Trumpet 397 Thou maist not grudge or repine Agaynst thy kynge in any wise. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. April 91 Pan may be proud, that euer he begot such a Bellibone. c 1622 Ford, etc. Witch Edmonton i. ii, He likes Kate well. I may tell you, I think she likes him as well. 1646 J. Hall Horæ Vac. 129 Illusory deceits may not bee done though to a good end. 1653 H. More Conject. Cabbal. (1662) 28 Justice did but (if I may so speak) play and sport together in the businesse. 1781 Cowper Conversat. 293 An argument of cogence, we may say, Why such a one should keep himself away. 1784 Lett. Honoria & Marianne III. 115 If one..considers the motives which influence to it, we may indeed be amazed. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) III. 114 The grantor says, you may go in this particular line, but I do not give you a right to go either on the right or left. 1852 Thackeray Esmond iii. xiii, May we take your coach to town? I saw it in the hangar. |
¶ b. Law. In the interpretation of statutes, it has often been ruled that may is to be understood as equivalent to shall or must.
| 1728 Skinner K.B. Rep. 370 For may in the Case of a publick Officer is tantamount to shall. 1782 Atkyns Chancery Rep. III. 166 The words shall and may in general acts of parliament, or in private constitutions, are to be construed imperatively, they must remove them. 1873 Blackburn in Law Rep., 8 Q.B. 482 There is no doubt that ‘may’, in some instances, especially where the enactment relates to the exercise of judicial functions, has been construed to give a power to do the act, leaving no discretion as to the exercise of the power. |
5. Expressing subjective possibility, i.e. the admissibility of a supposition. a. (with pres. inf.) In relation to the future (may = ‘perhaps will’).
| c 1205 Lay. 31098 Þurh hire þu miht biwinnen lufe of hire cunnen. a 1300 Cursor M. 11963 Vr neghburs mai [Fairf. wil, Trin. wol] þam on vs wreke. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 556 And telleth me of your sorwes smerte Paravnture hit may ease youre herte. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 88 What harmes and inconueinences mow come therof to the foule body. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xci. 311 Yf ye go not to my brother for socoure ye may happe to repent it. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. iv. 25 It may be thought we held him carelesly, Being our kinsman, if we reuell much. 1621 Fletcher Wild Goose Chase iv. ii, Stick to that truth, and it may chance to save thee. 1677 Feltham Resolves i. lxxi. 109 Miseries, that but may come, they anticipate and send for. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 95 ¶5 The Improvement of our Understandings may, or may not, be of Service to us, according as it is managed. 1871 Morley Voltaire (1886) 10 The violent activity of a century of great change may end in a victory. |
b. (with pres. inf.) In relation to the present (may be or may do = ‘perhaps is’ or ‘does’).
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 48 Ther is manye of yow Faitours, and so may be that thow Art riht such on. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 2 Perawnter þe defaute may be in thaym þat hase þaire saules for to kepe. 1707 Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. iii. xi. 428 The next thing remarkable in the City of London, may be the Bridge. 1751 Affecting Narr. Wager 8 What I have said may seem oddly introduced here. 1855 M. Arnold Summer Night 84 A tinge, it may be, of their silent pain. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 3) I. 463, I dare say, my friend, that you may be right. |
c. In the 18th c. it was common to use might be or do in the sense of ‘perhaps was’ or ‘did’. This is now rare.
The now current form may have been or done (5 d) is more logical, as the subjective possibility is a matter of the speaker's present.
| 1753 Richardson Grandison (1811) II. xxix. 297 Your father, my dear, (but you might not know that,) could have absolved you from this promise. 1762 Hurd Lett. Chiv. & Rom. 85 After all, these two respectable writers might not intend the mischief they were doing. c 1789 Gibbon Autobiog. (1896) 258 After the publication of my Essay, I revolved the plan of a second work; and a secret Genius might whisper in my ear that [etc.]. 1834 Tracts for Times No. 22. p. 3 All along the whole length of the garden (which might be perhaps nearly one hundred yards)..he had fixed..stakes. 1862 Borrow Wild Wales xcv, It might be about half-past two in the afternoon when I left Lampeter. |
d. (with perf. inf.) In relation to the past (may have been or done = ‘perhaps was’ or ‘did’, ‘perhaps has been’ or ‘done’).
| 1682 Prideaux Lett. (1875) 131 It is not Alestre, y⊇ book⁓sellers son, whom you may have known. 1860 R. Williams in Ess. & Rev. 91 Reverence, or deference, may have prevented him from bringing his prayers into entire harmony with his criticisms. 1879 M. E. Braddon Clov. Foot xxxii, The husband, or lover, may have been out of the way. |
6. Uses of the pa. tense subj. (in any of the senses 2–5) in the statement of a rejected hypothesis (or a future contingency deemed improbable) and its consequences. a. in the protasis. (In poetry, sometimes with inversion: might I = if I might.)
| a 1175 Cott. Hom. 233 Mihti efre isi, Na ȝewold ham selfe to biȝeten wrldlic echte. c 1200 Ormin 5160 Ȝiff þatt tu mihhtesst lufenn Godd Swa þatt itt wære himm cweme Wiþþutenn lufe off iwhillc mann. Þa mihhtesst tu ben borrȝhenn Wiþþutenn lufe off iwhillc mann. a 1300 Cursor M. 4123 To stint wald he, if he moght, Þe foly þat his breþer thoght. 1470 Gaw. & Gol. 422 Gif pament or praier mught mak that purchese. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. March 53 Mought her necke bene joynted attones, She shoulde have neede no more spell. 1594 Marlowe & Nash Dido iii. iii, And mought I liue to see him sacke rich Thebes..Then would I wish me with Anchises Tombe. 1607 Shakes. Timon i. ii. 90 Might we haue that happinesse..we should thinke our selues for euer perfect. 1617 Hieron Wks. II. 88 Dauid..mought he haue had his choise..no doubt he would rather haue had one little drop of mercy. 1807 Byron Hours of Idleness, Oh! might I kiss those eyes of fire, A million scarce would quench desire. |
b. in the apodosis, might = would be able to, would be allowed to, would perhaps.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. vii. §iii. (Sedgefield) 17 Ᵹif þæt þine aᵹne welan wæron þe þu mændest þæt þu forlure, ne meahtest þu hi na forleosan. c 1200 [see a]. c 1374 Chaucer Compl. Mars 205 Yf that Ielosie hyt knewe They myghten lyghtly ley her hede to borowe. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xxii. 148 For and he wold haue foughte on foote he myghte haue had the better of the ten knyghtes. 1664 J. Wilson Projectors i, You mought have come up a pair of stairs higher if you had pleas'd. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 704 A Fault which easie Pardon might receive, Were Lovers Judges, or cou'd Hell forgive. 1764 Foote Mayor of Garratt i. (1783) 24 If the war had but continued awhile, I don't know what mought ha' been done. 1875 Tennyson Q. Mary i. iii, So you would honour my poor house to-night, We might enliven you. 1895 R. L. Douglas in Bookman Oct. 23/1 Had he but shown a little more firmness and astuteness, he might have secured infinitely better terms than he did. |
c. with suppressed protasis.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 69 To hwon sceolde þeos smyrenes þus beon to lore ᵹedon? eaþe heo mehte beon ᵹeseald to þrim hunde peneᵹa. c 1230 Hali Meid. 3 Fleschliche þohtes, þat..maken þe to þenchen..Hu muche god mihte of inker streon maxen. 1350 Will. Palerne 5354 No tong miȝt telle þe twentiþe parte Of þe mede to menstrales þat mene time was ȝeue. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 21 Of þis Matere I mihte Momele ful longe. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 1 Werkes that myght be most acceptable to hym. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 257, I my selfe seeme to..consume the time, which otherwise on my booke mought be employed. 1595 Shakes. John i. i. 123 Your father might haue kept This calfe..from all the world. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 93 Diuers haue..protested against the taking or holding Parsonages as Lay-fees, when they mought haue had them vpon good Purchase. 1796 Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) I. 477 The same doubts might be started, respecting the nature of Water. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas vi. i. ¶14 Three figures such as ours might have dumbfounded a better man. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 15 In the sixth century..a conscientious bishop might be truly said to place his life in jeopardy every hour. 1860 R. Williams in Ess. & Rev. 92 note, One might ask, whether the experience of our two latest wars encourages our looking to Germany. 1891 Speaker 2 May 533/1 The book is very much what might have been expected from the author. |
¶ d. In the perfect tense have was sometimes dropped.
| 1440 in Wars Eng. in France (Rolls) II. 450 And it had ben wel gouverned, [it] might many a yeere susteyned youre werres. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. 402 He might wel escaped, if he had wolde. |
7. In questions, may with inf. is sometimes substituted for the indicative of the principal vb. to render the question less abrupt or pointed.
| 15.. Kyng & Hermyt 143 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 19 The wey to the towne if I schuld wynd, How fer may it be? a 1721 Prior Phillis's Age 1 How old may Phillis be, you ask. 1798 Wordsw. We are seven 14 Sisters and brothers, little maid, How many may you be? 1886 W. J. Tucker E. Europe 401 ‘What may you want with our schoolmaster?’ |
b. Similarly might.
| 1599 Massinger, etc. Old Law v. i, And which might be your faire Bride sir? 1630 Dekker 2nd Pt. Honest Wh. v. ii, What mought I call your name, pray? |
8. As an auxiliary of the subjunctive mood. a. Since the desire for an end involves the desire for the possibility of the end, may in sense 3 in combination with an inf. is used, in clauses involving the idea of purpose or contemplated result, to express virtually the same meaning as the subjunctive of the principal verb. Hence this combination has come to serve as a periphrastic subjunctive, which has in ordinary prose use superseded the simple subjunctive in final clauses.
(a) in final clauses introduced by that or lest; also occas. with ellipsis of that (e.g. after to the end).
| c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. i. (Schipper) 107 Onfoh þu eorþe lichaman of þinum lichaman ᵹenumen, þæt þu hine eft aᵹyfan mæᵹe, þonne hine God liffæste. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark iii. 10 Hia raesdon on him þætte hine hie ᵹehrindon vel hrina mæhtæs. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 229 Þa wercte he fele wundra þat men mihten ȝelefen þat he was godes bearn. c 1275 Sinners Beware 30 in O.E. Misc. 73 Makie we us clene and skere Þat we englene ivere Mawe beon. a 1300 Cursor M. 14578 Þat agh þe drau þe folk emid, þat þai þe baþ mai se and here. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 205 Youre lyght so lyght afore men that thay mowen See youre goode workys. 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. 2, I wyshed that it had been published in suche a tounge, that moe men mought understande it. 1559 [see lest 1 c]. 1652 J. Wright tr. Camus' Nat. Paradox viii. 176 To the end by his return thou maist give o'r complaining. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 170 ¶7 Lest my appearance might draw too many compliments. 1807 Med. Jrnl. XVII. 342, I took several children to see the woman..that they might behold the nature of the disease. |
(b) in relative clauses with final meaning.
| c 1220 Bestiary 627 in O.E. Misc. 20 For he ne hauen no lið ðat he muȝen risen wið. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 573 Al-miȝtin god him bad it so, And mete quorbi ðei miȝten liuen. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxv. (Thadee) 127 Scho..lefit a hole quhare men mocht reke hyre mete, as þame thocht. 1638 Lisle A.S. Monum., Lord's P. T 3 b, Whereby they mought the better serue their God. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1726) 8 Then let me something bring May Handsel the new year to Charles my king. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 170 ¶3 My mother sold some of her ornaments to dress me in such a manner as might secure me from contempt. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 201 It was not easy to devise any expedient which might avert the danger. |
(c) in clauses depending on such vbs. as wish, demand, desire, beseech, and their allied ns.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. (Th.) I. 152 Hwæt wylt ðu þæt ic þe do? He cwæð, Drihten, Þæt ic maᵹe ᵹeseon. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 10 Unto the god ferst thei besoughten..That thei myhten fle the vice Which Simon hath in his office. 1432 Paston Lett. I. 32 The said Erle desireth..that he may putte hem from..occupacion of the Kinges service. 1546 St. Papers Hen. VIII, XI. 162 Wischyng that, if yt shall so happen, I mought be agaynst that tyme ready armyd. 1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Coll. 1st Sund. after Epiph., Graunt that they maie both perceaue and knowe what thinges they ought to do. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 168 Would I might But euer see that man. 1670 J. Smith Eng. Improv. Reviv'd 13 It is my great request to God that there might not be one Family in England want bread. 1771 [see 9 a]. 1781 Cowper Conversat. 124 He humbly hopes—presumes—it may be so. 1834 Tracts for Times No. 22. p. 11, I desired he might come to me into my Study. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 572 He..demanded that a large vessel..might be detained. |
(d) in clauses (introduced by that, lest) depending on fear vb. or n., afraid, and the like.
| 1563 Homilies ii. (1859) 375 Continually to fear, not only that we may fall as they did [etc.]. 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine iii. 19 Fearing, least if the Lacedemonians shoulde be the first that violated the league, they might haue seized thereupon. 1651 C. Cartwright Cert. Relig. i. 67 Be not highminded, but fear..least thou also maist be cut off. 1691 [see fear v. 4 b]. 1816 [see afraid 2 c]. |
b. In exclamatory expressions of wish, may with the inf. is synonymous with the simple pres. subj., which (exc. poet. and rhet.) it has superseded.
The subject normally follows may, but examples are found in the older lang. in which this is not so.
| 1586 Marlowe 1st Pt. Tamburl. i. i, Long liue Cosroe, mighty Emperour! Cosr. And Ioue may neuer let me longer liue Then I may seeke to gratifie your loue! 1593 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 505 Long may they kisse ech other for this cure! 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶3 Long may he reigne. 1634 Milton Comus 924 May thy brimmed waves for this Their full tribute never miss. 1647 Fletcher's Woman's Prize Prol., Which this may prove! 1712 Tickell Spect. No. 410 ¶6 But let my Sons attend, Attend may they Whom Youthful Vigour may to Sin betray. 1717 Entertainers No. 2. 7 Much good may it do the Dissenters with such Champions. 1786 C. Simeon in W. Carus Life (1847) 71 May this be your blessed experience and mine. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop viii, ‘May the present moment’, said Dick,..‘be the worst of our lives!’ |
c. might is also used to express a wish, esp. when its realization is thought hardly possible.
This use appears to be developed from the hypothetical use (6 a).
| a 1400–50 Alexander 1605 (Ashm.) ‘Ay moȝt [Dubl. mott] he lefe, ay moȝt he lefe’ quod ilka man twyse. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. ii. 98 Lord worshipt might he be, what a beard hast thou got. 1852 M. Arnold To Marguerite, Cont'd 18 Oh might our marges meet again! |
d. may with the inf. of a vb. is used (instead of the simple indicative or subjunctive) to emphasize the uncertainty of what is referred to:
(a) in indirect questions depending on such verbs as ask, think, wonder, doubt, and their allied ns.
| a 1100 Gerefa in Anglia IX. 261 Þæt he asece hu he yrde mæᵹe fyrme ᵹeforðian ðonne ðæs time sy. c 1205 Lay. 18753 Þa ȝet hit weore a wene whar þu heo mihtes aȝe. c 1220 Bestiary 683 in O.E. Misc. 22 He..weren in ðoȝt, wu he miȝten him helpen ovt. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1581 Þat gode wif..fondeth hu heo muhe [Jesus MS. mowe] Do þing þat him beo iduȝe. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 53 Ne koude nat vs self deuysen how We myghte lyuen in moore felicitee. c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 508 And than he demaunded of his seruauntes what it might be [Fr. orig. que c'estoit qu'il auoit]. 1795 Coleridge Conciones 62 On her enquiring what might be the price of the jewels, she is told, they were [etc.]. 1861 G. W. Dasent Story Burnt Njal II. 1 The Earl asked of what stock he might be. |
(b) in clauses introduced by an indef. relative.
| 1530 Palsgr. 444/2 Be as be maye, vaille que vaille. 1605 Shakes. Macb. i. iii. 146 Come what come may. a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Queen of Corinth i. i, I am confirm'd Fall what may fall. 1690 [see however 1 c]. 1711 Addison Spect. 46 ¶6 However weary I may go to Bed, the Noise in my Head will not let me sleep. 1782 Cowper Hope 596 He laughs, whatever weapon Truth may draw. 1861 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 37 The preceptor..whatever his other qualifications may have been, had not earned his promotion by his Latin style. 1870 Ruskin Lect. Art (1875) 102 Those of you who may intend passing their vacation in Switzerland. 1899 W. James Talks to Teachers (1904) 57 A tactful teacher may get them to take pleasure..in preserving every drawing or map which they may make. |
9. With ellipsis of the infinitive. a. In independent sentences, where the inf. is to be supplied from a prec. sentence; or (more freq.) in subord. clauses, where the inf. is to be supplied from the principal clause.
| a 1000 Guthlac 1082 Aras ða eorla wynn heard hyᵹesnottor, swa he hraþost meahte. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xvi. 26 Þa ðe willað heonon to eow faran ne maᵹon. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 37 And helpen heom mid þon þe þu maȝe. c 1205 Lay. 3524 And help him nu for þu miht. c 1250 Hymn i. 38 in Trin. Coll. Hom. App., Þu me sschild ȝe from þe feonde ase þu ert freo & wilt & maucht. c 1300 Harrow. Hell 141 Kepe þe ȝates whoso mai. 138. Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 510 Oþere Crist myȝte ȝeve sich a reule.. and wolde not..or ellis Crist wolde ordeyne sich a reule and myȝte not. c 1440 Love Bonavent. Mirr. xii. 29 Here frendes comforteden hem as þei myghten. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. xxxvi. 472 Kepe the as wel as euer thow mayst. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. v. 180 And fra his sorofull hart, as that he mocht, Sum deil expellit hes the dolorus cair. 1547 Homilies i. Of Charity ii. (1859) 72 To all such we ought, as we may, to do good. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. i. 23 Things must be as they may. 1615 W. Bedwell Moham. Impost. i. §29 Ah. I know not whether I may aske that question, or not. Sh. Yes, you may. 1689 A. Ashley in King Life Locke 183 So far was I from learning the discretion I mought by this that I grew worse than before. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 31 May, Perhaps I mistake his complaisance; and I wish I may, for his sake. 1796 Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 456 Be it as it may. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. ii. xxiv, He joyed to see the cheerful light, And he said Ave Mary, as well as he might. 1851 E. FitzGerald Euphranor (1904) 42 We think the world is growing wiser; it may in the end. 1857 M. Arnold Rugby Chapel 34 We..have endured Sunshine and rain as we might. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad v, 'Twill do harm to take my arm. ‘You may, young man, you may’. |
b. With ellipsis of a vb. of motion. Chiefly poet.
| Beowulf 754 He on mode wearð forht on ferhðe; no þy ær fram meahte. a 1000 Christ & Satan 425 (Gr.) Þæt ic up heonon mæᵹe. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1131 (MS. E), Þær man him held þæt he ne mihte na east na west. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 7907 (Kölbing) For we no mow no whar oway. c 1386 Chaucer Reeve's T. 197 For it was nyght and forther myghte they noght. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 433 That I may backe to Athens by day-light. 1596 ― 1 Hen. IV, iii. i. 142 The Moone shines faire, You may away by Night. |
c. With ellipsis of do or be. Also in the phr. I may not but = There is nothing for me to do but. (Cf. sense 1.)
| Beowulf 680 (Gr.) Ic hine sweorde swebban nelle..þeah ic eal mæᵹe. a 1000 Christ & Satan 22 (Gr.) Ðuhte him on mode, þæt hit mihte swa, þæt [etc.]. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1132 (MS. E), Þa he nanmor ne mihte. c 1330 R. Brunne Medit. 522 Þey bete hym..Tyl þey be wery and mow no more. 1382 Wyclif Wisd. xi. 24 Thou hast merci of alle, for alle thingus thou maist. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 89 He was a man that mochel myhte. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 161 Who so will not whan he may, he shal not when he wille. c 1450 Guy Warw. (C.) 6947 He felle downe and myght no more. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) I ij, So muche mighte her malice, that not oneley she sinnede, but made hir husbande sinne. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1317/2 Much maie that was not yet. 1597 Morley Introd. Mus. 2 If it had beene the pleasure of him who may all things. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. i. 50 The Moore replies..that in wholsome Wisedome He might not but refuse you. 1721 Kelly Scot. Prov. 169 He that may not as he will, must do as he may. |
d. In † be as be may, be that (or it or this) as it may, that is as may be, and similar expressions: whether that is so or not, that may well be so: phrases used to indicate that a statement or act, etc., is perhaps true or right from one point of view but not from another, or that there are other factors to be taken into consideration.
| c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. (1894) 1012 Be as be may, ther was he at the leste. 1470–85 Malory Works (1967) I. 73 Be as hit be may. 1530 [see may v.1 8 d (b)]. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI i. i. 194 But be it as it may: I here entayle The Crowne to thee. 1796 [see may v.1 9 a]. 1820 R. Southey Let. 17 Nov. in N. & Q. (1975) Sept. 400/1 Be that as it may, I wish you would let me know what books of mine you have not received from Longmans. 1834 M. Edgeworth Tour in Connemara (1950) i. 10 There goes a story, you know that no woman must ever appear at Ballinasloe Fair... Be this as it may, we were suffered to drive very quietly through the town. 1875 Trollope Way we live Now I. xlix. 311 ‘Good news?’ she asked... ‘That's as may be,’ he said. 1883 A. Dobson Old-World Idylls 211 Rose kissed me to-day. Will she kiss me to⁓morrow? Let it be as it may, Rose kissed me to-day. 1910 Galsworthy Motley 168 ‘Yu'le tak' the ole 'arse then?’ ‘That's as mebbe—waal, gude naight.’ 1928 F. Hurst President is Born 14 Be that as it may, the circle of giving in Centralia was anything but a vicious one. 1935 G. Heyer Death in Stocks iv. 41 That's as may be, and if it's true you couldn't say but what it's a judgment. 1939 G. M. Gathorne-Hardy Fourteen Points & Treaty of Versailles 14 The Fourteen Points..has been described, by Mr. Winston Churchill, as ‘certainly an accommodating document’. Be that as it may, it was presumably what the President had actually meant. 1949 F. Maclean Eastern Approaches I. viii. 133 If the authorities..had received no instructions regarding my journey it could only be due to a most regrettable omission... To this he answered that this was as it might be; but without explicit instructions..he could not allow me to remain on Chinese territory. 1949 H. Pakington Young W. Washbourne vi. 51 ‘But if it was used as a sitting-out place it wouldn't be secluded,’ said Mrs. Harbottle. That was as it might be, retorted Mrs. Wilkins. 1958 Economist 1 Nov. 387/2 There have been reports of some exchange of views between these two formidable figures. Be that as it may, the manner in which their views have been made known shows a wide and characteristic difference. 1975 T. Heald Deadline ii. 23 ‘I shall have to liaise with the police.’ ‘That's as may be,’ said Lord Wharfedale. |
10. For may well, may as well, see well adv.
11. as n. An instance of what is expressed by the vb. may; a possibility.
| 1849 H. Miller Footpr. Creat. 248 Even were we to permit the sceptic himself to fix the numbers representative of those several mays in the case. 1897 G. Saintsbury Flourishing of Romance ii. 30 These ‘mays’ are not evidence. 1935 G. K. Zipf Psycho-Biol. of Lang. (1936) 303 From the great number of..mays of today are taken those which are to belong to the matrix of musts of tomorrow. |
† 12. In advb. phrases of the same type as and equivalent in meaning to mayhap: may chance, may-fall, may-fortune, may-tide. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 2759 If þou þar findes..fifty or fourte o þi lele men, tuenti mai fall, or tuis fiue, ne sal þai alle haue þar-for liue? Ibid. 4977, etc. c 1375 Barbour Bruce ix. 376 Thai that war vithin, ma fall,..slepit all. c 1460 Towneley Myst. vi. 81 May tyde he will oure giftis take. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. John 7 Mafortune as then y⊇ tyme did not suffer so inexplycable a misterie to be put in wryting to all mens knowledge. 1556 Hoby Castiglione's Courtier Epist. (1561) B j, Many yong gentlemen, which haue may chaunce an opinion that to be in me, that is not in deed. 1581 Mulcaster Positions xvi. (1887) 72 That [dancing] onely is reserued, which beareth oftimes blame, machance being corrupted by the kinde of musick. |
▪ V. may, v.2 Obs. exc. arch. in pr. pple.
(meɪ)
[f. May n.3]
intr. To take part in the festivities of May-day or in the pleasures of the month of May; to gather flowers in May. Cf. maying vbl. n.
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur xix. i. 773 Soo as the quene had mayed and alle her knyghtes alle were bedasshed with herbys mosses and floures. 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 131 Ladyes to dance full sobirly assayit, Endlang the lusty rywir so thai mayit. 1848 Kingsley Saint's Trag. ii. x. [ix.], Oh! that we two were Maying Over the fragrant leas. |
▪ VI. † may, v.3 Obs.
[Aphetic f. amay.]
trans. To dismay. Also intr. To be dismayed.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 978 Ac wan Charlis hit wiste & seȝ for hymen hym gan to maye. c 1400 Beryn 1685 Full sore he gan to may. a 1400–50 Alexander 3010 Mayes [Dubl. MS. mayse] noȝt ȝour hertis. Ibid. 5399 Oure mode kyng was so maied myndles him semed. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus ii. 314 In all my dayis was I not half sa mayt. |
▪ VII. may
dial. f. make v.1, var. mo Obs., more.