Question

When you say, "May God's love be with you" or "May all your wishes come true" what does the word "may" mean?

Answer 1

The word "may" is used to indicate the speaker's wishes and hopes that the good thing happens to the recipient of the good wishes.

Explanation:

The use of the word "may" when using pleasantries, such as:

"May the road rise to meet you"

or the ones listed in the question, the word "may" is used to indicate the speaker's wishes and hopes that the good thing happens to the recipient of the good wishes.

It's smoother and more confident than:

"I hope the road rises to meet you"

less formal than:

"I trust the road rises to meet you"

and far less wordy than:

"If there is any justice in the Universe, the road would rise to meet you."