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Gay

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
Gay  (g), John 1685-1732.
English writer known especially for his play The Beggar's Opera (1728).

gay  (g)
adj. gay·er, gay·est
1. Of, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to persons of the same sex.
2. Showing or characterized by cheerfulness and lighthearted excitement; merry.
3. Bright or lively, especially in color: a gay, sunny room.
4. Given to social pleasures.
5. Dissolute; licentious.
n.
1. A person whose sexual orientation is to persons of the same sex.
2. A man whose sexual orientation is to men: an alliance of gays and lesbians.

[Middle English gai, lighthearted, brightly colored, from Old French, possibly of Germanic origin.]

gayness n.
Usage Note: The word gay is now standard in its use to refer to people whose orientation is to the same sex, in large part because it is the term that most gay people prefer in referring to themselves. Gay is distinguished from homosexual primarily by the emphasis it places on the cultural and social aspects of homosexuality as opposed to sexual practice. Many writers reserve gay for males, but the word is also used to refer to both sexes; when the intended meaning is not clear in the context, the phrase gay and lesbian may be used. Gay is often considered objectionable when used as a noun to refer to particular individuals, as in There were two gays on the panel; here phrasing such as Two members of the panel were gay should be used instead. But there is no objection to the use of the noun in the plural to refer collectively either to gay men or to gay men and lesbians, so long as it is clear whether men alone or both men and women are being discussed. See Usage Note at homosexual.

gay [geɪ]
adj
1.
a.  homosexual
b.  (as noun) a group of gays
2.
a.  carefree and merry a gay temperament
b.  brightly coloured; brilliant a gay hat
c.  given to pleasure, esp in social entertainment a gay life
[from Old French gai, from Old Provençal, of Germanic origin]
gayness  n
Usage: Gayness is the state of being homosexual. The noun which refers to the state of being carefree and merry is gaiety

Gay [geɪ]
n
(Biographies / Gay, John (1685-1732) M, English, WRITING: poet, THEATRE: dramatist) John. 1685-1732, English poet and dramatist; author of The Beggar's Opera (1728)
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.Gaygay - someone who practices homosexuality; having a sexual attraction to persons of the same sex
individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"
gay man, shirtlifter - a homosexual man
gay woman, lesbian, tribade - a female homosexual
Adj.1.gay - bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer; "a cheery hello"; "a gay sunny room"; "a sunny smile"
cheerful - being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits; "her cheerful nature"; "a cheerful greeting"; "a cheerful room"; "as cheerful as anyone confined to a hospital bed could be"
2.gay - full of or showing high-spirited merriment; "when hearts were young and gay"; "a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company"- Wordsworth; "the jolly crowd at the reunion"; "jolly old Saint Nick"; "a jovial old gentleman"; "have a merry Christmas"; "peals of merry laughter"; "a mirthful laugh"
joyous - full of or characterized by joy; "felt a joyous abandon"; "joyous laughter"
3.gay - given to social pleasures often including dissipation; "led a gay Bohemian life"; "a gay old rogue with an eye for the ladies"
indulgent - characterized by or given to yielding to the wishes of someone ; "indulgent grandparents"
4.gay - brightly colored and showy; "girls decked out in brave new dresses"; "brave banners flying"; "`braw' is a Scottish word"; "a dress a bit too gay for her years"; "birds with gay plumage"
colourful, colorful - striking in variety and interest; "a colorful period of history"; "a colorful character"; "colorful language"
5.gay - offering fun and gaiety; "a festive (or festal) occasion"; "gay and exciting night life"; "a merry evening"
joyous - full of or characterized by joy; "felt a joyous abandon"; "joyous laughter"
6.gay - homosexual or arousing homosexual desires
homosexual - sexually attracted to members of your own sex

gay
adjective
1. homosexual, camp (informal), lesbian, pink (informal), bent (offensive slang), queer (informal, derogatory), same-sex, sapphic, dykey (slang), poofy (offensive slang), moffie (S. African slang) The quality of life for gay men has improved over the last decade.
2. cheerful, happy, bright, glad, lively, sparkling, sunny, jolly, animated, merry, upbeat (informal), buoyant, cheery, joyous, joyful, carefree, jaunty, chirpy (informal), vivacious, jovial, gleeful, debonair, blithe, insouciant, full of beans (informal), light-hearted I am in good health, gay and cheerful.
cheerful serious, sad, grave, unhappy, grim, miserable, sober, melancholy, solemn, sombre, sedate, down in the dumps (informal), cheerless
3. colourful, rich, bright, brilliant, vivid, flamboyant, flashy, gaudy, garish, showy I like gay, vibrant posters.
colourful conservative, dull, sombre, drab, colourless
noun
homosexual, lesbian, fairy (slang), queer (informal, derogatory), faggot (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), poof (Brit. & Austral. derogatory slang), batty boy (slang), bull dyke (slang), shirt-lifter (derogatory slang), dyke or dike (slang) Gays have proved themselves to be style leaders.
homosexual straight, heterosexual
Usage: By far the most common and up-to-date use of the word gay is in reference to being homosexual. Other senses of the word have become uncommon and dated.
Translations
gay [geɪ]
A. ADJ
1. (= homosexual) [man, community, movement] → gay adj inv, homosexual; [woman] → homosexual, lesbiano; [bar] → gay adj inv, de gays
a centre for lesbians and gay menun centro para lesbianas y gays
gay men and womenhombres y mujeres homosexuales, gays y lesbianas
gay sexrelaciones fpl homosexuales
the gay sceneel ambiente gay or homosexual
2. (gayer (compar) (gayest (superl))) (o.f.) (= cheerful) [person, colour, costume] → alegre; [atmosphere, music, laughter] → alegre, festivo
3. (= carefree) with gay abandondespreocupadamente, alegremente
she's living the gay life in Parisse da la gran vida en París, se pega la vida padre en París
B. N (= man) → gay m, homosexual m; (= woman) → lesbiana f, homosexual f
C. CPD the gay liberation movement, gay lib Nel movimiento de liberación homosexual
gay rights NPLderechos mpl de los homosexuales

gay [ˈgeɪ]
adj
(= homosexual) → homosexuel(le)
gay sex → des rapports mpl homosexuels
a gay man → un homosexuel
lesbians and gay men → les lesbiennes et les homosexuels
(old-fashioned) (= cheerful) → gai(e)
[colour] → gai(e)
nhomosexuel m
gays and lesbians → les homosexuels et les lesbiennes
modif [rights] → des homosexuels; [club] → gay inv; [activist] → homosexuel(le); [community] → homosexuel(le), gay inv

gay
adj (+er)
(= homosexual) personschwul (inf); (= for homosexuals) rightsfür Schwule; sexunter Schwulen; gay men and womenSchwule und Lesben pl (inf); gay movementSchwulenbewegung f; gay barSchwulenkneipe f; gay marriagegleichgeschlechtliche Ehe, Homoehe f (inf); gay groupSchwulengruppe f; the gay communitydie Schwulen pl
(dated, = happy) → fröhlich; (= carefree)sorglos, unbekümmert; (= merry) party, time, atmospherelustig; musiclebhaft; (= colourful) paint, costumesbunt; with gay abandonvöllig unbekümmert, ohne Rücksicht auf Verluste (hum)
nSchwule(r) mf; gay libdie Schwulenbewegung

gay [geɪ]
1. adj (-er (comp) (-est (superl)))
a. (homosexual) → omosessuale, gay inv
b. (liter) (person) → allegro/a, gaio/a; (colour) → vivace, vivo/a
2. n (homosexual) → gay m

gay [geɪ]
1. adj (-er (comp) (-est (superl)))
a. (homosexual) → omosessuale, gay inv
b. (liter) (person) → allegro/a, gaio/a; (colour) → vivace, vivo/a
2. n (homosexual) → gay m

gay
adj gay [gei]
1 happy or making people happy The children were gay and cheerful; gay music. vrolik مَرِح، جَذِل весел jásavý glad; munter fröhlich χαρούμενος, εύθυμος alegre شاد iloinen gai עַלִיז आनन्दमय veseo vidám gembira kátur, glaðvær gaio, allegro 陽気な 명랑한 linksmas priecīgs; jautrs gembira vrolijk munter, glad, livslysten radosny alegre vesel весёлый veselý vesel veseo glad, lustig, munter สดใสร่าเริง sevinçli, mutlu 快樂的 веселий خوش باش hạnh phúc; vui tươi
2 bright gay colours. helder زاهٍ ярък pestrý, zářivý farvestrålende bunt λαμπερός alegre, vivo, vistoso روشن kirkas gai עַלִיז भड़कीला, चमकीला vedar élénk cemerlang litskrúðugur vivace 派手な 화사한 linksmas, ryškus spilgts; košs terang helder fargesprakende, munter wesoły brilhante strident яркий žiarivý vesel svetao ljus, bjärt, grann สดใส parlak, renkli 鮮艷的 яскравий شوخ رنگ کا (màu sắc) rực rỡ; tươi
3 homosexual gay liberation; gay rights. homoseksueel لواطي хомосексуален homosexuální homoseksuel schwul ομοφυλοφιλικός gay, homosexual homoseksuaalne, gei- همجنس باز homoseksuaalinen homosexuel/-elle “עַלִיז”, הוֹמוֹ समलैंगिक homoseksualan homoszexuális,„meleg” homoseks samkynhneigður gay, omosessuale 同性愛(者)の 동성애의 homoseksualistų, homoseksualus homoseksuāls, geju- homoseksual homoseksueel homofil homoseksualny, dla homoseksualistów гомосексуальный homosexuálny, teplý gejevski, homoseksualen homoseksualan homosexuell, gay คนที่รักเพศเดียวกัน ทั้งหญิงรักหญิง และชายรักชาย eşcinsel, homoseksüel 同性戀的 гомосексуальний ہم جنس پرست سے متعلق đồng tính 恋的
n
homosexual. homoseksueel لواطي، أحادي الجنس хомосексуалист homosexuál bøsse; lesbisk kvinde der Schwule ομοφυλόφιλος homosexual homoseksuaal, gei مرد همجنس باز homoseksuaali homosexuel/-elle הוֹמוֹסֶקסוּאַל समलैंगिक homoseksualac homoszexuális homoseks samkynhneigður gay, omosessuale 同性愛者 동성애 homoseksualistas homoseksuālists, gejs homoseksual homo, homoseksueel homo, homse pederasta, homoseksualista гомосексуалист homosexuál homoseksualec homoseksualac bög, lesbian ชายรักชาย; หญิงรักหญิง eşcinsel kimse 同性戀 гомосексуаліст, гей ہم جنس پرست người đồng tính
adv gaily
vrolik بِمَرَح، بِجَذَل ярко vesele muntert unbekümmert χαρούμενα alegremente; vistosamente lõbusalt مسرورانه؛ با رنگ های درخشان iloisesti gaiement בְעַלִיזוּת आनन्दपूर्वक veselo derűsen dengan gembira glaðlega gaiamente, allegramente 陽気に 즐겁게 linksmai priecīgi; jautri riang vrolijk, helder muntert, lystig radośnie alegremente cu veselie весело; ярко veselo veselo srećno glatt, muntert อย่างสนุกสนาน; อย่างร่าเริง; อย่างเบิกบาน; อย่างรื่นเริง sevinçle, neşeyle 快樂地 весело خوشی خوشی rực rỡ; hớn hở
n gaiety [ˈgeiəti]
1 (an occasion of) fun or happiness They joined in the gaiety. vrolikheid مَرَح، جَذَل веселба zábava fest; festlighed die Fröhlichkeit χαρά, ευθυμία animación خوشگذرانی ilo amusement שִׂמחָה प्रसन्नता radost, sreća vigalom kegembiraan gleðskapur allegria, divertimento お祭り騒ぎ 명랑, 쾌활, 유쾌 linksmybė izpriecas; jautrība kegirangan vrolijkheid fest(lighet) wesołość alegria amuza­ment веселье zábava veselica radost festlighet, förlustelse ความสนุกสนาน; ความร่าเริง; ความเบิกบาน; ความรื่นเริง neşe, şenlik 歡樂,愉快 веселий настрій مسرت trò vui
2 the state of being gay the gaiety of the music. vrolikheid بَهْجَه ، مَرَح състоянието на хомосексуализъм jásavost munterhed; lystighed die Fröhlichkeit ευθυμία alegría, regocijo شادی iloisuus gaieté שׂמחָה आनन्द veslost vidámság keriangan glaðværð, kátína allegria 陽気さ 기뻐서 들뜬 상태 linksmumas prieks keriangan vrolijkheid munterhet, lystighet radość alegria veselie весёлость veselosť veselost veselost glädje, munterhet, livlighet ความเบิกบานใจ; ความร่าเริง; ความหรูหรา neşeli olma 歡樂氣氛 веселість خوشی کی کیفیت trạng thái vui vẻ


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Bright were the days at Merry Mount, when the Maypole was the banner staff of that gay colony
An artist, for instance, paints a picture worthy of Gay.
The ugly jackdaw, collecting all the fine feathers which had fallen from the other birds, attached them to his own body and appeared at the examination, looking very gay.
 
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