May

May, mā, n. the fifth month of the year: the early or gay part of life.—v.i. to gather May (prov. Eng. the blossom of the hawthorn, which blooms in May):—pr.p. May′ing.—ns. May′-bee′tle, May′-bug, the cockchafer; May′-bloom, the hawthorn flower; May′day, the first day of May; May′-dew, the dew of May, esp. that of the morning of the first day of May, which is said to whiten linen, and to enable a face washed with it to keep its beauty; May′-duke, a variety of sour cherry; May′-flow′er, the hawthorn, which blooms in May; May′fly, a short-lived fly which appears in May; May′-game, sport such as is usual on 1st May, frolic generally; May′ing, the observance of Mayday sports and games; May′-lā′dy, the queen of the May; May′-lil′y, the lily of the valley, so called because it blooms in May; May′-morn (Shak.), freshness, like that of a morning in May, vigour; May′pole, a pole erected for dancing round on Mayday; May′-queen, a young woman crowned with flowers as queen on Mayday; May′time, May, the season of May. [O. Fr. Mai—L. Maius (mensis, a month), sacred to Maia, the mother of Mercury.]