What so strong, But wanting rest, will also want of
might? --Spenser.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. --Deut.
vi. 5.
{With might and main}. See under 2d {Main}.
How may a man, said he, with idle speech, Be won to
spoil the castle of his health ! --Spenser.
For what he [the king] may do is of two kinds; what
he may do as just, and what he may do as possible.
--Bacon.
For of all sad words of tongue or pen The saddest
are these: ``It might have been.'' --Whittier.
(b) Liberty; permission; allowance.
Thou mayst be no longer steward. --Luke xvi. 2.
(c) Contingency or liability; possibility or probability.
Though what he learns he speaks, and may advance
Some general maxims, or be right by chance. --Pope.
(d) Modesty, courtesy, or concession, or a desire to soften a
question or remark.
How old may Phillis be, you ask. --Prior.
(e) Desire or wish, as in prayer, imprecation, benediction,
and the like. ``May you live happily.'' --Dryden.
{May be}, & {It may be}, are used as equivalent to possibly,
perhaps, by chance, peradventure. See 1st {Maybe}.