Meaning:
- “Mayst” is an archaic word derived from “may” and “thou” in early Modern English. It is a form of the verb “may” and is used to express permission, possibility, or a wish. “Mayst” is typically used when addressing someone informally using “thou,” which is an old second-person singular pronoun.
Synonyms (for “mayst” in its archaic usage):
- Canst (a similar archaic form of “can” used with “thou”)
- Mightest (an archaic form of “might” used with “thou”)
- Couldst (an archaic form of “could” used with “thou”)
- Shalt (an archaic form of “shall” used with “thou”)
- Wilt (an archaic form of “will” used with “thou”)
Antonyms (opposite of “mayst” in its archaic usage):
- Refrain (to withhold permission)
- Must not (expressing prohibition)
- Shall not (expressing future prohibition)
- Will not (expressing future negation)
- Cannot (expressing inability or impossibility)
Please note that “mayst” and similar archaic forms of verbs are not commonly used in modern English. They are primarily found in older literature and historical texts. In contemporary language, the modern equivalents of these terms (e.g., “may,” “can,” “might,” “shall,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should”) are used.