may
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
How often you will meet it
Rank 118 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 213,291 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.101% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
modal verb
- used to say something is possible, or to give permission
may in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Till at last a day came in early May.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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Many extra children may be introduced in several of the plays, as a chorus.
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
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A man may be made cuckold in the day-time, When the stars' eyes are out.
The White Devil · John Webster · Chapter 1
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Articles of interest or curiosity, procured by the passengers during the voyage, may be brought home in the steamer free of charge.
The Innocents Abroad — Volume 01 · Mark Twain · Chapter 1
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The teacher may, however, follow his own judgment as to the order in which the poems should be taken up in class.
Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) · O. J. [Annotator] Stevenson · Chapter 1