See at bay in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"etymology_text": "From bay (“excited howling of dogs”).",
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"lang_code": "en",
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"_dis": "54 8 38",
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"_dis": "48 8 44",
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{
"ref": "1886, Ulysses S. Grant, chapter XXIX, in Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant:",
"text": "In that case the enemy himself could have occupied the defences of Corinth and held at bay all the Union troops that arrived.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1889, Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Preface”, in Sylvie and Bruno, London, New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page xv:",
"text": "These two books—of sacred, and secular, passages for memory—will serve other good purposes besides merely occupying vacant hours: they will help to keep at bay many anxious thoughts, worrying thoughts, uncharitable thoughts, unholy thoughts.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:",
"text": "The home side grew in confidence after keeping the visitors at bay and took the lead after only nine minutes, from their first foray into the penalty area.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Unable to come closer; at a distance."
],
"id": "en-at_bay-en-prep_phrase-caSWSuWV",
"links": [
[
"set phrase",
"set phrase"
],
[
"closer",
"closer"
],
[
"distance",
"distance"
]
],
"qualifier": "set phrase",
"raw_glosses": [
"(set phrase, idiomatic) Unable to come closer; at a distance."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "100 0 0",
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "at a distance"
},
{
"_dis1": "100 0 0",
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "at arm's length"
},
{
"_dis1": "100 0 0",
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "away"
},
{
"_dis1": "100 0 0",
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "back"
}
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "op afstand"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "poissa"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "kaukana"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "à distance"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "auf Abstand"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "se apóstasi",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "σε απόσταση"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "trzymany na dystans"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "trzymany na bezpieczną odległość"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "à distância"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "la distanță"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "na distanci"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "a raya"
},
{
"_dis1": "81 8 11",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "al margen"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1855, Robert Browning, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, section XXXI:",
"text": "The hills, like giants at a hunting, lay / Chin upon hand, to see the game at bay,— / \"Now stab and end the creature - to the heft!\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1918, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter X, in The Land That Time Forgot:",
"text": "For a moment my gaze traversed the landscape beneath until it was caught and held by four figures near the base of the cliff—a human figure held at bay by three hyaenodons, those ferocious and blood-thirsty wild dogs of the Eocene.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2004 November 22, Valerie Elliott, “Two-dog plan to keep law at bay”, in The Times:",
"text": "Instead of mounted riders following a pack of hounds, it is envisaged that just two dogs will be used to locate a stag and hold it at bay.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Cornered; unable to flee."
],
"id": "en-at_bay-en-prep_phrase-pJLirti-",
"links": [
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"set phrase",
"set phrase"
],
[
"Cornered",
"cornered"
],
[
"flee",
"flee"
]
],
"qualifier": "set phrase",
"raw_glosses": [
"(set phrase, idiomatic) Cornered; unable to flee."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "cornered"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "trapped"
}
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in het nauw"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "ahdistettuna nurkkaan"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "kurissa"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "selkä seinää vasten"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "aux abois"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in Schach (halten)"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in die Enge (treiben)"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in die Ecke (drängen)"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "zapędzony w kozi róg"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "trzymany w szachu"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "în șah"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 92 4",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "legat"
}
]
},
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"glosses": [
"Of an animal, especially a docile animal in contrast to a predatory animal which would be blazoned statant: standing, in profile toward dexter, with all four feet on the ground. (If gazing at the viewer, the animal is at gaze.)"
],
"id": "en-at_bay-en-prep_phrase-8RGMPxVR",
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[
"statant",
"statant#English"
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"at gaze",
"at gaze#English"
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"raw_glosses": [
"(heraldry) Of an animal, especially a docile animal in contrast to a predatory animal which would be blazoned statant: standing, in profile toward dexter, with all four feet on the ground. (If gazing at the viewer, the animal is at gaze.)"
],
"topics": [
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"politics"
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"word": "at bay"
}
{
"categories": [
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"English entries with incorrect language header",
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"English multiword terms",
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"Terms with French translations",
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"Terms with Greek translations",
"Terms with Polish translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Romanian translations",
"Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
"Terms with Spanish translations"
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"etymology_text": "From bay (“excited howling of dogs”).",
"head_templates": [
{
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"2": "prepositional phrase",
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"expansion": "at bay",
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{
"ref": "1886, Ulysses S. Grant, chapter XXIX, in Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant:",
"text": "In that case the enemy himself could have occupied the defences of Corinth and held at bay all the Union troops that arrived.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1889, Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Preface”, in Sylvie and Bruno, London, New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page xv:",
"text": "These two books—of sacred, and secular, passages for memory—will serve other good purposes besides merely occupying vacant hours: they will help to keep at bay many anxious thoughts, worrying thoughts, uncharitable thoughts, unholy thoughts.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:",
"text": "The home side grew in confidence after keeping the visitors at bay and took the lead after only nine minutes, from their first foray into the penalty area.",
"type": "quote"
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"Unable to come closer; at a distance."
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"raw_glosses": [
"(set phrase, idiomatic) Unable to come closer; at a distance."
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"ref": "1855, Robert Browning, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, section XXXI:",
"text": "The hills, like giants at a hunting, lay / Chin upon hand, to see the game at bay,— / \"Now stab and end the creature - to the heft!\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1918, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter X, in The Land That Time Forgot:",
"text": "For a moment my gaze traversed the landscape beneath until it was caught and held by four figures near the base of the cliff—a human figure held at bay by three hyaenodons, those ferocious and blood-thirsty wild dogs of the Eocene.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2004 November 22, Valerie Elliott, “Two-dog plan to keep law at bay”, in The Times:",
"text": "Instead of mounted riders following a pack of hounds, it is envisaged that just two dogs will be used to locate a stag and hold it at bay.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Cornered; unable to flee."
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"set phrase",
"set phrase"
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"Cornered",
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"raw_glosses": [
"(set phrase, idiomatic) Cornered; unable to flee."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"en:Heraldry"
],
"glosses": [
"Of an animal, especially a docile animal in contrast to a predatory animal which would be blazoned statant: standing, in profile toward dexter, with all four feet on the ground. (If gazing at the viewer, the animal is at gaze.)"
],
"links": [
[
"heraldry",
"heraldry"
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[
"docile",
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[
"statant",
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[
"at gaze",
"at gaze#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(heraldry) Of an animal, especially a docile animal in contrast to a predatory animal which would be blazoned statant: standing, in profile toward dexter, with all four feet on the ground. (If gazing at the viewer, the animal is at gaze.)"
],
"topics": [
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"synonyms": [
{
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "at a distance"
},
{
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "at arm's length"
},
{
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "away"
},
{
"sense": "at a distance",
"word": "back"
},
{
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "cornered"
},
{
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "trapped"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "op afstand"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "poissa"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "kaukana"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "à distance"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "auf Abstand"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "se apóstasi",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "σε απόσταση"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "trzymany na dystans"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "trzymany na bezpieczną odległość"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "à distância"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "la distanță"
},
{
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "na distanci"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "a raya"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "unable to come closer",
"word": "al margen"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in het nauw"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "ahdistettuna nurkkaan"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "kurissa"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "selkä seinää vasten"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "aux abois"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in Schach (halten)"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in die Enge (treiben)"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "in die Ecke (drängen)"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "zapędzony w kozi róg"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "trzymany w szachu"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "în șah"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "cornered",
"word": "legat"
}
],
"word": "at bay"
}
Download raw JSONL data for at bay meaning in English (6.9kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-20 using wiktextract (c15a5ce and 5c11237). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.