May gamen.
/ˈmeɪ ɡeɪm/, U.S. /ˈmeɪ ˌɡeɪm/ 1.
a. In singular. A performance or entertainment which traditionally forms part of the celebrations of May (latterly spec. those held on May Day), or of springtime generally. Now chiefly historical.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > social event > festive occasion > specific festivities > [noun] > festivities associated with May-day
maying1386
May1515
May game1519
Beltane1771
1519 Kingston-upon-Thames Churchwardens' Accts. (Surrey CRO KG 2/2/1) 92 Item resayued of the maye game & Robyn Hode iii li xij s iiij d.
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour i. xxv. sig. Miij More lyke to a may game, than a mater seriouse or commendable.
1583 R. Robinson tr. Aunc. Order Prince Arthure sig. L4v A May game was of Robyn-hood, and of his traine that time.
1589 R. Greene Menaphon sig. F3v He was chosen Lord of the May game, king of their sports, and ringleader of their reuils.
1659 R. Brathwait Panthalia 141 He appeared in his garish and pompous Colours..as if he had been going rather to a Morice or May-game, then any Martiall adventure.
1888 F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Ballads III. 46 Maid Marian is a personage in the May-game and morris.
b. In plural. The merrymaking and sports associated with May celebrations.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > match or competition > [noun] > series of, as public spectacle > specific
May games1531
game1636
victorial1657
natal games1728
gathering1828
Olympiad1896
Olympian Games1896
Winter Olympic Games1908
winter game1924
Winter Olympics1924
Olympics1925
spartakiad1928
Winter Olympiad1928
Summer Olympics1931
paraplegic games1953
Paralympics1954
Paralympic Games1955
Special Olympics1968
worlds1984
iron man1985
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour iii. ix. sig. iiij Yet be they nat valiaunt, no more than kinges in may games and enterludes be kinges.
1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. 1 Tim. ii. f. viii In such maner of apparaill, as the commen sorte of vnfaythfull women are wonte to goe forth vnto weddynges and maygames.
a1629 W. Hinde Faithfull Remonstr. (1641) iii. 12 The holy Sabbaths of the Lord were..spent..in May-poles and May-games.
1638 Liber Niger Scaccarii (1728) II. App. xii. 599 Pageantes and playes and May games to captivat the sences of the zealous beholders.
1776 J. Brand Observ. Pop. Antiq. (1777) Gen. Pref. vi The May-games, Midsummer-Eve Rejoicings, etc.
1822 J. R. Planché Maid Marian ii. i. 21 Yonder are the preparations for the May-games, of which the lovely Matilda is to be queen.
1933 E. K. Chambers Eng. Folk-play 187 It is not to be supposed that..local plays..ceased to be performed... Some are school-plays produced by the local Holophernes. Some are May games.
1996 R. Hutton Stations of Sun xxv. 274 After that the forces of government and clergy seem finally to have triumphed over..the May games in general.
2.
a. An object of sport, jest, or ridicule; a laughing stock; a foolish person; frequently in to make a May game of. Now English regional (south-western).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > derision, ridicule, or mockery > fact or condition of being mocked or ridiculed > [noun] > object of ridicule
hethinga1340
japing-stickc1380
laughing stock?1518
mocking-stock1526
laughing game1530
jesting-stock1535
mockage1535
derision1539
sporting stocka1556
game1562
May game1569
scoffing-stock1571
playing stock1579
make-play1592
flouting-stock1593
sport1598
bauchle1600
jest1606
butt1607
make-sport1611
mocking1611
mirtha1616
laughing stakea1630
scoff1640
gaud1650
blota1657
make-mirth1656
ridicule1678
flout1708
sturgeon1708
laugh1710
ludibry1722
jestee1760
make-game1762
joke1791
laughee1808
laughing post1810
target1842
jest-word1843
Aunt Sally1859
monument1866
punchline1978
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > derision, ridicule, or mockery > banter or good-humoured ridicule > banter [verb (transitive)] > make fun of
to have (also i-do) (something) to gameeOE
to make (a) game of (also at, on)?c1250
overmirtha1400
sporta1533
to make a sport of1535
to make (up) a lip1546
to give one a (or the) gleek1567
to make a May game of1569
to play with a person's nose1579
to make merry over (also with)1621
game1699
to make fun of1732
hit1843
1569 J. Sanford tr. H. C. Agrippa Of Vanitie Artes & Sci. xc. f. 158 A manifest foolishnes, and a maie game to the multitude.
1583 W. Fulke Def. Transl. Script. iv. 137 Whereas in one translation we vse the worde Generall for Catholike, you make a greate maygame of it.
1644 F. Quarles Barnabas & Boanerges 112 What is man but..the spoile of Time, the May-game of Fortune?
1696 M. Pix Spanish Wives iii. 40 Let me not be a May-game to all my Servants, who by my Confinement wou'd guess at my Disgrace.
1714 R. A. Hunter Monoropolis iii. i. 18 Gentlemen, I am not to be made a May-game, your betters shall be acquainted with your Conduct.
a1739 C. Jarvis tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote (1742) I. iii. xi. 146 She..makes a jest and a may-game of every body.
1819 W. S. Rose tr. G. B. Casti Court & Parl. Beasts i. 7 A paltry and a pitiable thing, A mockery and may-game of a King.
1880 M. A. Courtney W. Cornwall Words in M. A. Courtney & T. Q. Couch Gloss. Words Cornwall 36/2 Don't make mock of a maygame; you may be struck comical yourself one day.
b. A foolish or extravagant action or performance; a frolic, caper, or entertainment. Now English regional (south-western).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > frolicking or romping > [noun]
rampinga1425
daffing1535
May game1571
horseplay1590
hoiting1594
wantonizing1598
roguery1611
romperinga1625
hoity-toity1668
frolicking1676
frolic1677
romping1694
wantoning1701
vagary1791
skylarking1809
larking1813
rollicking1823
high-jinking1891
shenaniganning1924
grab-ass1948
mollocking1959
bants2008
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > absurdity, incongruity > [noun] > in conduct
harlotryc1384
May game1571
scogginism1593
buffianism1596
delirium1599
fooling1602
scoggery1602
buffoonism1611
nonsense1612
scurrility1614
buffoonery1621
buffooninga1672
buffoon1780
pantomime1781
zanyism1823
harlequinade1828
1571 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Psalmes of Dauid with Comm. (lxxiii. 1) He cryed out..that the endever of living well was but a Maygame.
1660 R. Coke Elements Power & Subjection 50 in Justice Vindicated It were a fine may-game to be a King, if Kings might make their Will the rule of their actions.
1708 T. Baker Fine Lady's Airs iv. 42 Marriage, 'mongst the vulgar sort, is a Joke, a meer May-Game; with People of Rank, a serious and well study'd Solemnity.
1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. i. 244 The vulgar [have] their..coarse jokes, and may-games.
1800 S. T. Coleridge tr. F. Schiller Piccolomini iv. iv. 156 Every planless measure, chance event, The threat of rage, the vaunt of joy and triumph, And all the May-games of a heart o'erflowing.
1843 T. Carlyle Past & Present iii. xiii. 282 Life was never a May-game for men.
1892 S. Hewett Peasant Speech Devon 100 'E dawnt dü nort vrom cockcraw tü zinzet, but be up tü awl zorts of may-games.
Compounds
General attributive (usually with hyphen); formerly sometimes with the sense ‘sham, make-believe’, alluding to the practice of appointing a mock king or the like to preside over May games, in May-game king, May-game lord, etc.
ΚΠ
1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Irelande ii. 75/2 in Chron. I Thys Maygame Lorde, named indeede Peter (in scorne Perkin) Warbecke.
1602 J. Rhodes Answere Romish Rime sig. C3 Your May-game pastimes.
1614 W. Raleigh Hist. World i. iv. ii. §4. 178 In this sort came this Maygame-King into the field, incombred with a most vnnecessarie traine of Strumpets.
1630 Pathomachia ii. v. 21 I hae lurked here all this time in seeing this maygame Muster.
1653 W. Dell Tryal of Spirits 86 School Doctors, that is, Trifling or May-game Doctors.
1888 F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Ballads III. 45 The relation of Robin Hood, John, and the Friar to the May-game morris is obscure.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > social event > festive occasion > persons and characters > [noun] > participant in May-day festivities
mayer1578
Maygamesterc1585
c1585 R. Browne Answere to Cartwright 37 Drunkardes, Maygamesters, blasphemers.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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