may
868
expressing a wish, usually with the subject after the verb): May
you have a very happy married life! (=I/we very much hope
that you will have this) 4 also might (used, followed by but
when admitting a point that goes against the main thing one
is saying) perhaps; ADMITTEDLY: He may be fat, but he can still
run fast. | You may think you're clever, but that doesn't give you
the right to order me about. (=although you think you're
clever, that does not ...) | That coat may have cost a lot of
money, but it's worth it. 5 (in CLAUSES expressing hope or
purpose) will; can: Let's talk it over, so that we may come to a
decision. | The doctor fears that she may die. → compare
MIGHT¹ 6 may well (not) to be very likely (not) to: His
appearance has changed so much that you may well not recog-
nize him. | She may well refuse to speak to you, because she's in
a very bad mood. → compare might well (MIGHT) 7 may/
might (just) as well to have no strong reason not to: It's late,
so I may as well go to bed. → see CAN (USAGE), COULD (USAGE),
MIGHT (USAGE), NOT (USAGE)
may² n [U] HAWTHORN flowers
May n [C,U] the fifth month of the year, between April and
June: in May The theatre opened in May. | last/next May She
started work here last May. | on (the) 6th May The wedding
will be on 6th May. | on May 6th BrE Our flight is at 12:00 a.m.
on May 6th. | May 6 AmE We're having a family reunion May 6.
**CULTURAL NOTE** In the UK and northern US, when people
think of May, they think of spring flowers in full BLOOM
(=with the flowers fully open), warmer weather, and longer
days.
**Ma·ya** /'maɪə/ also **Ma·yan** /'maɪən/ n 1 the Maya, the
Mayans [P] a Native American people of the Yucatan area in
central America, who had a very advanced society in the
4th-10th centuries AD. They are known for their art and their
buildings, especially their PYRAMIDS. 2 [C] a member of this
tribe → see Cultural Note at NATIVE AMERICAN —**Maya**,
**Mayan** adj: Mayan civilization | Mayan pyramids
**,May 'Ball** n a formal dance held at the universities of Oxford
and Cambridge every year in June. Students dress formally
for a May Ball, and it is expensive to go to one.
**may·be** /'meɪbi/ adv perhaps; possibly: 'Will they come?'
'Maybe.' | Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems rather cold
in here – is the window open?
1 Maybe is more informal than **perhaps**. 2 It can be
used to make polite suggestions or requests: Maybe we
should meet sometime next week. | Maybe I could come to
your place. | Maybe you could move that chair. | (You could)
put it over here maybe. → see also PERHAPS (USAGE)
**may·day** /'meɪdeɪ/ n (a radio signal used as) a call for help
from a ship or plane: the plane sent out a mayday (call)
**'May Day** n [C,U] the first day in the month of May. In the
past it was a time when people celebrated the start of spring
with games and dances. In the UK, the first Monday in May is
a public holiday, and there are still some local customs and
celebrations, such as PROCESSIONS and MAY QUEENS. In the
US, young children often dance around a MAYPOLE, and leave
small baskets of flowers at a friend's door to be found on May
Day morning. In many countries, it is associated with workers
and SOCIALIST political organizations. It is also remembered
for the May Day parade that used to be held in Moscow
every year, with many soldiers marching through the RED
SQUARE to celebrate the military power of the Soviet Union.
**May·fair** /'meɪfeə/ one of the most expensive parts of
London, in the area directly east of Hyde Park. Mayfair has
many large and well-known hotels, and it was once a very
fashionable place to live, but many of the houses have now
been made into offices.
**May·flow·er, the** /'meɪflaʊə/ the ship that took the PIL-
GRIM FATHERS to Plymouth, Massachusetts in the US in 1620.
They were PURITANS, who left England because they wanted to
start a new society where they would be free to practise their
religion. In the US people sometimes say, either seriously or
jokingly, that someone's family 'came over on the Mayflower',
when they mean that someone's family originally arrived in
the US a very long time ago. → see picture on page A47
**may·fly** /'meɪflaɪ/ n a type of insect. The adults are very light
and delicate and live for only a few days.
**may·hem** /'meɪhem/ n [U] great disorder and confusion: The
escape of the monkeys from their cage created mayhem in the
zoo.
**may·n't** /'meɪənt/ especially BrE short for may not
**May·o** /'meɪəʊ/ a COUNTY in the west of the Republic of
Ireland, on the Atlantic coast
**'Mayo ,Clinic, the** a medical institution and hospital in
Rochester, Minnesota, famous in the US for its modern
equipment and successful treatments
**may·on·naise** /ˌmeɪə'neɪz||'meɪəneɪz/ || also **mayo** AmE infml
— n [U] a thick cold pale yellow SAUCE made with eggs, oil,
and VINEGAR for eating with SALADS and other cold food. It
is known to be difficult to make and many people buy it
ready-made.
**mayor** /meə || 'merər/ n 1 BrE a person elected each year by a
town council to be head of that city or town. The mayor
often carries out duties such as opening new buildings,
entertaining important visitors, and attending public cer-
emonies. A mayor can be a man or a woman and is addressed
as 'The Worshipful the Mayor of...' or 'The Right Worshipful'
and usually wears a large chain of office. → compare PROV-
OST; see colour photo on page A34 2 AmE the head of
government in a town or city. Mayors are usually elected by
popular vote and belong to one of the two main political
parties. In large cities they are often very powerful, sometimes
more so than the GOVERNOR of their state. —**al** adj
**mayor·al·ty** /'meərəlti||'merərəlti/ n [U] the position of
mayor or the time during which it is held
**mayor·ess** /meəres||'merərəs/ n the wife of a mayor or a
woman chosen to receive his guests
**,Mayor of 'London** an elected politician who is the leader of
the Greater London Authority and is responsible for various
things in Greater London, for example the transport system,
the EMERGENCY SERVICES, and economic development
maypole
**may·pole** /'meɪpəl/ n a tall decorated pole round which
people dance on May Day, each dancer holding a RIBBON tied
to the top of the pole and making patterns with the ribbons
as they dance. In former times most villages in England had
a maypole, and now maypoles are sometimes seen as part of
a FETE. The dancers are usually children. → see also MAY DAY
**'May ,Queen** n a young woman chosen as QUEEN as part of
the MAY DAY celebrations, usually because she is judged to be
the most attractive. She wears a CROWN of flowers on her
head, and she is also called Queen of the May.
**Mays, Willie** /meɪz/ (1931–) a US BASEBALL player considered
to be one of the greatest ever. He joined the New York
Giants in 1951 and played for them for many years. In 1964
he became the first African-American player to be made
CAPTAIN of a team in the MAJOR LEAGUES. He was also the
first NATIONAL LEAGUE player to hit more than 600 HOME
RUNS.
**mayst** /meɪst/ v thou **mayst** old use or bibl (when talking to one
person) you may
**Maz·a·rin Bi·ble, the** /ˌmæzərɪn 'baɪbəl/ another name