mayday

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun an internationally recognized distress signal via radiotelephone (from the French m'aider)

From the distress signal mayday, from French m'aider, short for Venez m'aider! (“Come to help me!”).

The morrice or morris dance was probably of Spanish (or Moorish, as the name implies) origin, but after its introduction into England it became blended with the Mayday games. — The Lady of the Lake, Walter Scott
Mayday here was softly bright enough, pure sunshine and pine odours, sky without clouds, gentle warmth, the wild azalea in bloom, here and there white stars of the dogwood showing, red birds singing, pine martens busy, too, with their courtship, pale butterflies flitting, the bee haunting the honeysuckle, the snake awakening. — The Long Roll, Mary Johnston
It was Mayday with them and down the long line of spindles these cotton dolls were dancing around their May Queen, and beckoning Shiloh to join them...._ It was too cute--too cunning--! they were dancing and drawing her in--they were actually singing-- ... humming and chanting a May song.... O lovely--lovely dolls!... Jud Carpenter found her asleep in the greasy aisle, her head resting on her arm, a smile on her little face--a hand clasping a rounded well-threaded doll-like bobbin to her breast. — The Bishop of Cottontown: A Story of the Southern Cotton Mills, John Trotwood Moore

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