{
    "term": "may",
    "partOfSpeech": "modal verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "",
            "heSheIt": ""
        },
        "pastSimple": "might",
        "pastParticiple": "",
        "ingForm": ""
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "used to say that something is possible",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "That may or may not be true."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He may have *(= perhaps he has)* missed his train."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They **may well** win."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is a range of programs on the market which may be described as design aids."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Doubt, guessing and certainty"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used to ask for or give permission",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "May I come in?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You may come in if you wish."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "used when admitting that something is true before introducing another point, argument, etc.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They may be well-meaning, but they are wrong."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "used as a polite way of making a comment, asking a question, etc.",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You look lovely, if I may say so."
                },
                {
                    "text": "May I ask why you took that decision?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "If I may just add one thing…"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "used to express wishes and hopes",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "May she rest in peace."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Business has been thriving in the past year. **Long may it continue** to do so."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "used to say what the purpose of something is",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "There is a need for more resources so that all children may have a decent education."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "despite that",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I know that he has tried hard; be that as it may, his work is just not good enough."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "used to say that something seems the best thing to do in the situation that you are in, although you may not really want to do it",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "If no one else wants it, we might as well give it to him."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used to say that there is no real difference between two things that you might do",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "If you are going to have sugar, you may as well have a bar of chocolate."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/meɪ/",
                "audio": "ma/may/may_1_gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmeɪ nɒt/",
                "audio": "ma/may/may_not_1_gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmeɪənt/",
                "audio": "ma/may/mayn_t_1_gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/maɪt/",
                "audio": "mi/may/might__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmaɪt nɒt/",
                "audio": "mi/may/might_not_1_gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmaɪtnt/",
                "audio": "mi/may/mightn_t_1_gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/meɪ/",
                "audio": "ma/may/may__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmeɪ nɑːt/",
                "audio": "ma/may/may_not_1_us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmeɪənt/",
                "audio": "ma/may/mayn_t_1_us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/maɪt/",
                "audio": "mi/may/might__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmaɪt nɑːt/",
                "audio": "mi/may/might_not_1_us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmaɪtnt/",
                "audio": "mi/may/mightn_t_1_us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": null
}