May

French Meaning

pouvoir

avoir la possibilité de

English Meaning

  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.
  6. Chiefly British The blossoms of the hawthorn.