bay

Everyday

1. A bay is part of the sea or a lake that curves into the land. tree →
2. A bay is a marked space or area for a special use, like a parking bay or loading bay. tree →
3. To bay is to howl with a long, deep sound, like a dog or wolf. tree →
4. A bay is a reddish-brown horse. tree →
5. A bay tree has shiny leaves used in cooking (bay leaves). tree →
6. To keep something at bay means to hold it back so it cannot reach or harm you. tree →

In the lessons

In geography a bay is a coastal landform, wider than a cove and smaller than a gulf; waves are gentler in a bay. In everyday life: parking bays, a bay window that sticks out, bay leaves in soup. In stories wolves bay at the moon. Phrase: «keep something at bay» (keep it away).

Examples

• We swam in a sheltered bay. tree →
• Park the car in an empty bay. tree →
• The wolves bayed at the full moon. tree →
• Mum puts a bay leaf in the soup. tree →
• She rode a bay horse with a black mane. tree →
• Wash your hands to keep germs at bay. tree →
• The house has a big bay window. tree →
• All day long the army of the Persians was kept at bay. tree →

Note

Countable: bays. Homophone: «bey» (an old Turkish title) — rare. A bay is part of the sea next to land; a peninsula is land sticking into the sea. «At bay» means held back.

In Jewish tradition

It means an inlet of the sea in the Tanakh. A bay horse is a reddish-brown one.

Interpretation. The bays of the sea mark the borders of the land given to Israel's tribes. Zechariah's bay horses pulling the chariots are read as messengers sent by God across the earth.

Examples

• Asher dwelt at the shore of the sea, and abideth by its bays. (Prophets JDG.5.17, JPS 1917) tree →
• and in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled bay horses. (Prophets ZEC.6.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• And their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looked southward. (Prophets JOS.15.2, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: bays. Homophone: «bey» (an old Turkish title) — rare. A bay is part of the sea next to land; a peninsula is land sticking into the sea. «At bay» means held back.