may

Từ điển American Heritage Dictionary 4th

I. may¹ (mā)aux.v. Past tense might (mīt)
1. To be allowed or permitted to:
May I take a swim? Yes, you may.
2. Used to indicate a certain measure of likelihood or possibility:
It may rain this afternoon.
3. Used to express a desire or fervent wish:
Long may he live!
4. Used to express contingency, purpose, or result in clauses introduced by that or so that:
expressing ideas so that the average person may understand.
5. To be obliged; must. Used in statutes, deeds, and other legal documents. See Usage Note at can¹. [Middle English, to be able, from Old English mæg, first and third person sing. of magan, to be strong, be able. See magh- in Indo-European Roots.] II. may² (mā)n. Chiefly British
The blossoms of the hawthorn. [French mai, hawthorn, from Mai, May (so called because it blooms in May). See May.]

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  whitethorn, English hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus oxycantha, May