bay

bay¹ (b

)

1. A body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide mouth, affording access to the sea: the Bay of Biscay.

2. An area of land, such as an arm of prairie partially enclosed by woodland, that resembles in shape or formation a partially enclosed body of water.

[Middle English, from Old French baie, perhaps from baer, to open out, gape; see bay².]

bay² (b

)

1. Architecture A part of a building marked off by vertical elements, such as columns or pilasters: an arcade divided into ten bays.

2. Architecture

a. A bay window.

b. An opening or recess in a wall.

3. A section or compartment, as in a service station, barn, or aircraft, that is set off for a specific purpose: a cargo bay; an engine bay.

4. A sickbay.

5. Computer Science A drive bay.

[Middle English, from Old French baee, an opening, from baer, to gape, from Vulgar Latin *badre.]

bay³ (b

)

adj.

Reddish-brown: a bay colt.

1. A reddish brown.

2. A reddish-brown animal, especially a horse having a black mane and tail.

[Middle English, from Old French bai, from Latin badius.]

bay⁴ (b

)

1. A deep, prolonged bark, such as the sound made by hounds.

2. The position of one cornered by pursuers and forced to turn and fight at close quarters: The hunters brought their quarry to bay.

3. The position of having been checked or held at a distance: "He has seen the nuclear threat held at bay for 40 years" Earl W. Foell.

v. bayed, bay·ing, bays

v.intr.

To utter a deep, prolonged bark.

v.tr.

1. To pursue or challenge with barking: "I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon" Shakespeare.

2. To express by barking or howling: a mob baying its fury.

3. To bring to bay: "too big for the dogs which tried to bay it" William Faulkner.

[Middle English, from abai, cornering a hunted animal, from Old French, from abaiier, to bark, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *abbaire : Latin ad-, ad- + Vulgar Latin *badre, to gape, yawn. V., from Middle English baien, to bark, from abaien, from Old French abaiier.]

bay ¹

Noun

a stretch of shoreline that curves inwards [Old French baie]

bay ²

Noun

1. a recess in a wall

2. an area set aside for a particular purpose: a sick bay, a loading bay

3. same as bay window

4. an area off a road in which vehicles may park or unload

5. a compartment in an aircraft: the bomb bay [Old French baee gap]

bay ³

Noun

1. a deep howl of a hound or wolf

2. at bay

a. forced to turn and face attackers: the stag at bay

b. at a safe distance: to keep his mind blank and his despair at bay

Verb

to howl in deep prolonged tones [Old French abaiier to bark]

bay ⁴

Noun

1. a Mediterranean laurel tree with glossy aromatic leaves

2. bays a wreath of bay leaves [Latin baca berry]

bay ⁵

Adjective

reddish-brown

Noun

a reddish-brown horse [Latin badius]

bay (b

)

1. A body of water partially enclosed by land but having a wide outlet to the sea. A bay is usually smaller than a gulf.

2. A space in the cabinet of a personal computer where a storage device, such as a disk drive or CD-ROM drive, can be installed.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	bay - an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf embayment bight - a broad bay formed by an indentation in the shoreline; "the Bight of Benin"; "the Great Australian Bight" body of water, water - the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean); "they invaded our territorial waters"; "they were sitting by the water's edge" Guantanamo Bay - an inlet of the Caribbean Sea; a United States naval station was established on the bay in 1903 sea - a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
	2.	bay - the sound of a hound on the scent cry - the characteristic utterance of an animal; "animal cries filled the night"
	3.	bay - small Mediterranean evergreen tree with small blackish berries and glossy aromatic leaves used for flavoring in cooking; also used by ancient Greeks to crown victors bay laurel, bay tree, Laurus nobilis, true laurel bay leaf - dried leaf of the bay laurel laurel - any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family genus Laurus, Laurus - small evergreen trees or shrubs with aromatic leaves
	4.	bay - a compartment on a ship between decks; often used as a hospital; "they put him in the sick bay" compartment - a partitioned section, chamber, or separate room within a larger enclosed area ship - a vessel that carries passengers or freight
	5.	bay - a compartment in an aircraft used for some specific purpose; "he opened the bomb bay" aircraft - a vehicle that can fly compartment - a partitioned section, chamber, or separate room within a larger enclosed area
	6.	bay - a small recess opening off a larger room alcove carrell, cubicle, carrel, stall - small individual study area in a library niche, recess - an enclosure that is set back or indented
	7.	bay - a horse of a moderate reddish-brown color Equus caballus, horse - solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
Verb	1.	bay - utter in deep prolonged tones mouth, speak, talk, verbalise, verbalize, utter - express in speech; "She talks a lot of nonsense"; "This depressed patient does not verbalize"
	2.	bay - bark with prolonged noises, of dogs quest bark - make barking sounds; "The dogs barked at the stranger"
Adj.	1.	bay - (used of animals especially a horse) of a moderate reddish-brown color colored, coloured, colorful - having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination; "colored crepe paper"; "the film was in color"; "amber-colored heads of grain"