bay

A body of water (especially the sea) contained by a concave shoreline.

• This hotel has a great view across the bay.

A bank or dam to keep back water.

A tree or shrub of species Laurus nobilis (family Lauraceae), having dark green leaves and berries.countable

Bay leaf, the leaf of this or certain other species of tree or shrub, used as a herb.uncountable

Mahogany of species Swietenia macrophylla obtained from Campeche in Mexico.uncountable

The leaves of this shrub, woven into a garland used to reward a champion or victor; hence, fame, victory.archaiccountablein-plural

• both you here with many a cursed oth, / Sweare she is yours, and stirre vp bloudie frayes, / To win a willow bough, whilest other weares the bayes.
• The patriot's honours and the poet's bays.

A tract covered with bay trees.UScountabledialectal

A berry.countableobsoleteuncountable

An opening in a wall, especially between two columns.

An internal recess; a compartment or area surrounded on three sides.

• Wrex: And Shepard--I like what you've done with the Normandy. Got tired of always hanging around the cargo bay before.

A display unit in a shop or store, especially a large metal one.

• end bay
• gondola bay

A section of ceiling delineated by supports such as rafters or vaulting ribs.

Each of the spaces, port and starboard, between decks, forward of the bitts, in sailing warships.

A bay platform.

• There is a short bay at the west end of each platform, but neither is used for passenger trains.

A bay window.

A room for editing video footage or physical film.

The excited howling of dogs when hunting or being attacked.countableuncountable

• The hunt is up, the morn is bright and grey, / The fields are fragrant, and the woods are green. / Uncouple here, and let us make a bay / And wake the Emperor and his lovely bride, / And rouse the Prince, and ring a hunter's peal, / That al

The climactic confrontation between hunting-dogs and their prey.broadlycountableuncountable

A state of being obliged to face an antagonist or a difficulty, when escape has become impossible.figurativelyuncountable

• Embolden'd by despair, he stood at bay.
• The most terrible evils are just kept at bay by incessant efforts.

To howl.intransitive

• The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bay'd.
• For at the last shall the thunder, fleeing to escape from the doom of the gods, roar horribly among the Worlds; and Time, the hound of the gods, shall bay hungrily at his masters because he is lean with age.

To bark at; hence, to follow with barking; to bring or drive to bay.transitive

• to bay the bear

To pursue noisily, like a pack of hounds.transitive

Of a reddish-brown colour with a black mane and tail.especially

• Mr. Free also owned restaurants and bred horses. His bay gelding, Packett's Landing, won almost $800,000 in his five-year career in the late 1980's and early 1990's.

A brown colour/color of the coat of some horses.countableuncountable

A horse of this color.countableuncountable

• […] browns are the soberest, bays are the worst tempered, and chestnuts are the most foolish.