may 词态变化
第三人称单数: mays;过去式: might;过去分词: might;现在分词: maying;
may 中文词源
May 五月来自拉丁语Maius mensis,即大地女神Maia月。比较April,June.
may 也许，可能来自古英语maeg,能够的，来自Proto-Germanic*mag,来自PIE*magh,使能够，赋予力量，词源同might,magic,machine.
may 山楂花来自May,五月。即五月的鲜花。
may 英文词源
- may
- may: English has basically two words may, although one of them has now virtually split into two. The auxiliary verb may [OE] goes back ultimately to the Indo-European base *mogh-, *megh-, denoting ‘power, ability’, which also produced English machine, main, and might. Its Germanic descendant *magan lies behind German and Dutch mag, Swedish må, and Danish maa as well as English may.
The compound maybe dates from the 15th century, and dismay is also related. May the month-name [13] comes via Old French mai from Latin Maius. This was originally an adjective meaning ‘of Maia’, Maia being a Roman goddess and wife of Vulcan (her name may go back to the same source as Latin magnus ‘large’, and hence denote ‘growth’ or ‘increase’).
In the month of May the hawthorn comes into flower, and so in the 16th century the tree received the name may.
=> dismay, machine, main, might - may (v.1)
- Old English mæg "am able" (infinitive magan, past tense meahte, mihte), from Proto-Germanic root *mag-, infinitive *maganan (Old Frisian mei/muga/machte "have power, may;" Old Saxon mag/mugan/mahte; Middle Dutch mach/moghen/mohte; Dutch mag/mogen/mocht; Old High German mag/magan/mahta; German mag/mögen/mochte; Old Norse ma/mega/matte; Gothic mag/magan/mahte "to be able"), from PIE *magh- (1) "to be able, have power" (cognates: Greek mekhos, makhos "means, instrument," Old Church Slavonic mogo "to be able," mosti "power, force," Sanskrit mahan "great"). Also used in Old English as a "auxiliary of prediction."
- May
- fifth month, early 12c., from Old French mai and directly from Latin Majus, Maius mensis "month of May," possibly from Maja, Maia, a Roman earth goddess (wife of Vulcan) whose name is of unknown origin; possibly from PIE *mag-ya "she who is great," fem. suffixed form of root *meg- "great" (cognate with Latin magnus). Replaced Old English þrimilce, month in which cows can be milked three times a day. May marriages have been considered unlucky at least since Ovid's day. May-apple attested from 1733, American English.
- may (v.2)
- "to take part in May Day festivities," late 15c., from May. Related: Mayed; maying.
may 词组搭配
be that as it may
despite that; nevertheless
尽管如此；就算那样
may as well
another way of saying might as well
同 might as well （参见 might）
that is as may be
that may or may not be so (implying that this is not a significant consideration)
这很难说；事情未必会这样（暗示所考虑的事情并不重要）
may 英文释义
- 1. thorny Eurasian shrub of small tree having dense clusters of white to scarlet flowers followed by deep red berries; established as an escape in eastern North America
may 同义词解析
can, may
这两个情态动词均含有"能，可能，可以"之意。
can和may常被错用，应注意3点：
1.can表示体力或智力方面的能力。may没有这种功能。
2.can和may都可表示请求允许做某事，前者较口语化，最常用；may用于正式文体，多含尊敬之意。
3.can和may都可能表示可能性，前者表理论上的可能性，而后者表示现实的可能性。在这种用法中，can一般不能用来表将来的可能性，多用在否定和疑问句中表现在的可能性，而may既可表现在又可表将来的可能性。
may 双语例句
- 1. They may headhunt her for the vacant position of Executive Producer.
- 他们可能会挖她去填补执行制片人这一空缺职位。
来自柯林斯例句
- 2. The agreement has raised hopes that the war may end soon.
- 那项协议使人们感到战争有望很快结束。
来自柯林斯例句
- 3. Sightseers may be a little overwhelmed by the crowds and noise.
- 拥挤的人群和喧闹的噪音可能会让游客有些茫然不知所措。
来自柯林斯例句
- 4. If these drugs are stopped abruptly then some withdrawal symptoms may occur.
- 如果突然停服这些药，则可能出现一些戒断症状。
来自柯林斯例句
- 5. A dentist may decide to extract the tooth to prevent recurrent trouble.
- 牙医可能会决定拔掉那颗牙，以免反复发作。
来自柯林斯例句
may 实用场景例句
- That may or may not be true.
- 这可能是真的，也可能不是。
牛津词典
- We may have some rain today...
- 今天可能会下点雨。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Rates may rise, but it won't be by much and it won't be for long...
- 费率也许会提高，但幅度不会太大，时间也不会太长。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Civil rights officials say there may be hundreds of other cases of racial violence...
- 负责民权事务的官员说可能还有数百宗种族暴力事件。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Throwing good money after bad may not be a good idea, they say.
- 他们说用钱砸不见得是个好主意。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- A vegetarian diet may not provide enough calories for a child's normal growth...
- 素食也许不足以提供一个孩子正常成长所需的热量。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Up to five inches of snow may cover the mountains.
- 山上的积雪可能厚达5英寸。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- He may have been to some of those places...
- 那些地方他也许去过一些。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- The chaos may have contributed to the deaths of up to 20 people...
- 混乱可能导致多达20 人丧生。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- I may be almost 50, but there's not a lot of things I've forgotten...
- 尽管我已经快到了知天命的岁数，但记忆却不那么糟糕。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- The elderly man may not be typical, but he speaks for a significant body of opinion...
- 这位老人也许并没有代表性，但他所说的话却代表着相当一部分人的观点。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- The bag has narrow straps, so it may be worn over the shoulder or carried in the hand...
- 这个包配有细带子，可以肩挎，也可以手拎。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Some of the diseases of middle age may be prevented by improving nutrition.
- 中年时期的一些疾病可以通过改善营养的方式来预防。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Any two persons may marry in Scotland provided that both persons are at least 16 years of age on the day of their marriage...
- 在苏格兰，如果双方均年满16岁就可以结婚。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Adolescents under the age of 18 may not work in jobs that require them to drive.
- 未满18岁者不得从事需要开车的工作。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Mr Hobbs? May we come in?...
- 霍布斯先生？我们可以进来吗？
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- If you wish, you may now have a glass of milk...
- 你想喝的话，现在可以喝一杯牛奶。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- I'd like the use of your living room, if I may...
- 可以的话，我想用一下你的起居室。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- May I come with you to Southampton?...
- 我可否与您共赴南安普顿？
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- May we suggest you try one of our guest houses...
- 可否请您体验一下我们的客房？
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- May we recommend a weekend in Stockholm?...
- 我们可以提议在斯德哥尔摩度周末吗？
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- 'If I may interrupt for a moment,' Kenneth said...
- “能打搅一下吗，”肯尼思说。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Anyway, may I just ask you one other thing?...
- 不管怎样，我可以再问您一个问题吗？
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- You know, Brian, whatever you may think, I work hard for a living...
- 布赖恩，你知道，不论你怎么看，我都是在为生计而拼命工作。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- You may consider it useless, but for our customers it's an all-important sign of good service.
- 您也许会认为这样毫无用处，可是对于我们的客户而言，它却是优质服务的重要体现。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- They spent their afternoons playing golf—extremely badly, I may add—around Loch Lomond...
- 他们下午都在洛蒙德湖边打高尔夫——顺便提一句，球技糟透了。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Both of them, I may say, are thoroughly reliable men.
- 可以说，他俩都是绝对可靠的人。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- ...the need for an increase in the numbers of surgeons so that patients may be treated as soon as possible...
- 需要增加外科医生的人数，以便患者能够及早得到救治
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- The door is shut so that no one may overhear what is said.
- 门关着，这样没人能听见说话的内容。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Courage seems now to have deserted him. May it quickly reappear.
- 他现在似乎失去了勇气，但愿他能很快重新振作起来。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
