英和和英

別の表記

• mebbe (dialectal)
• may-be (obsolete)

語源

From an ellipsis of 中期英語 it may be, equivalent to may +‎ be. Compare mayhap.

発音

• (英国発音, 米国発音) enPR: mā'bē, IPA: /ˈmeɪ.bi/, [ˈmeɪ̯.β̞]
• (Northumbria) IPA: /mɛˈbiː/
• 韻: -eɪbi

副詞

maybe (not comparable)

1. Perhaps, possibly.

   A small extra effort now can maybe save you much work later.

   Maybe I was imagining it, but I could swear that the dog understood what I was saying.

2. (as a pro-sentence) Perhaps that is true (expressing no commitment to a decision or a neutral viewpoint to a statement).
   • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     Okay. See you later, maybe. — Maybe I’ll see you later.

3. (UK, meiosis) Certainly.

   Maybe not the best idea.

使用する際の注意点

• Do not confuse maybe with the verb construction may be: "Maybe that's true", but "That may be true".

同意語

• (perhaps): mayhaps, peradventure, perhaps, possibly
• (as a pro-sentence): could be, mayhaps, might be, perhaps, possibly, that’s possible

派生語

形容詞

maybe (comparative more maybe, superlative most maybe)

1. Possible; uncertain.
   • 1687, John Dryden, The Hind and the Panther, part III line 294:

     Then add those may-be years thou hast to live

名詞

maybe (plural maybes)

1. (informal) Something that is possibly true.
2. (informal) An answer that shows neither agreement nor disagreement.

   The results of the poll were inconclusive. We got two yeses, three nos, and four maybes.

3. (informal) A future event that may or may not happen.

   About your raise: it's a big maybe.

同意語

• perhaps

派生語

• definite maybe

アナグラム

• Mabey, Mbaye, abyme, beamy, embay