First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1hay
noun \ˈhā\
: grass that has been cut and dried to be used as food for animals
: a small amount of money
Full Definition of HAY
1
: herbage and especially grass mowed and cured for fodder
2
: reward
3
slang : bed
4
: a small sum of money <a saving of…$14 million is not hay — H. C. Schonberg>
See hay defined for English-language learners
See hay defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of HAY
Middle English hey, from Old English hīeg; akin to Old High German hewi hay, Old English hēawan to hew
Related to HAY
- Synonyms
- chicken feed [slang], chump change, dime, mite, peanuts, pin money, pittance, shoestring, song, two cents
- Antonyms
- big buck(s), boodle, bundle, fortune, king's ransom, megabuck(s), mint, wad
Rhymes with HAY
a, ae, bay, bey, blae, brae, bray, chez, clay, Cray, day, dey, dray, eh, fay, fey, flay, fley, frae, fray, Frey, gay, Gay, gey, gley, gray, he, hey, Hue, j, jay, Jay, k, kay, Kay, lay, lei, may, nay, né, née, neigh, Ney, pay, pe, play, pray, prey, qua, quai, quay, Rae, ray, re, say, shay, slay, sleigh, spae, spay, Spey, splay, spray, stay, stray, sway, Tay, they, tray, trey, way, weigh, whey, yea
2hay
verb
Definition of HAY
intransitive verb
: to cut, cure, and store hay
transitive verb
: to feed with hay
First Known Use of HAY
1535
Hay
biographical name \ˈhā\
Definition of HAY
John Milton 1838–1905 Am. statesman
Hay
geographical name \ˈhā\
Definition of HAY
river 530 miles (853 kilometers) Canada in N Alberta & S Northwest Territories flowing NE into Great Slave Lake
HAY Defined for Kids
1hay
noun \ˈhā\
Definition of HAY for Kids
: any of various herbs (as grasses) cut and dried for use as food for animals <bales of hay>
2hay
verb
hayedhay·ing
Definition of HAY for Kids
: to cut plants for hay
Learn More About HAY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: hay bacillusPrevious Word in the Dictionary: haw treeAll Words Near: hay
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up hay? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).