also 4 baie, 5 baye. [Two different words seem to be here inextricably confused. Originally, the phrase to hold at bay seems ad. OF. tenir a bay (Godefroy) = It. tenere a bada, where bay, bada, means the state of suspense, expectation, or unfulfilled desire, indicated by the open mouth (late L. badare to open the mouth); but to stand at bay, be brought to bay, correspond to mod.F. être aux abois, meaning to be at close quarters with the barking dogs, and bay is here aphetically formed from ABAY, a. OF. abai barking. See BAY v.1 In the phrase at a bay, some early quotations may read at abay.]
I. Barking or baying.
1. The deep prolonged barking of a dog when pursuing or attacking.
1530. Palsgr., 196/2. Bay of houndes, aboyement de chiens.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., II. ii. 3. Vncouple heere, and let vs make a bay, And wake the Emperour.
1784. Cowper, Task, I. 230. The bay of curs.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., I. i. The deep-mouthed bloodhounds’ heavy bay.
1849. C. Brontë, Shirley, xv. 230. Formidable-looking dogs … all bristle and bay.
2. esp. The chorus of barking raised by hounds in immediate conflict with a hunted animal; hence, the final encounter between hounds and the prey they have chased.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 200. Of liouns chas, of beore baityng, And bay of bor.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 180. Tyl a beggere blede be bestys baye.
1575. Turberv., Venerie, 125. That there are Bayes in the water and bayes on the lande.
1876. Whyte-Melville, Katerfelto, xxiii. 261. Soon would burst on his ear that loud and welcome chorus called the ‘bay.’
† b. transf. applied to the singing of birds. Obs.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. Prol. 232. Dame naturis menstralis … Thayr blyssfull bay entonyng euery art.
II. Most commonly, and often figuratively, in hunting phrases relating to the position of a hunted animal when, unable to flee farther, it turns, faces the hounds, and defends itself at close quarters.
3. Of the position of the hunted animal: To stand, be (abide obs.) at bay, turn to bay; and of the relative action of the hounds: To hold or have at bay, bring or drive to bay, make a bay at (obs.)
c. 1314. Guy Warw., 245. He stod at a bay, And werd him while that he may.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 35. He gan to berke on þat barn and to baie it hold.
1530. Palsgr., 586/2. Yonder stagge is almoste yelden, I here the houndes holde hym at a beye, je os les chiens laboyer, or le tenyr a laboy.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 309/1. He shall be sette uppon on all sides, they make a bay at him, they will bite him, if it bee possible.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. iii. 128. To rowze his Wrongs, and chase them to the bay.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Acculé … the wild Bore, who, brought vnto a bay, sets him on his Gammons, and … is forced to defende himselfe against both dogs, and men.
1735. Somerville, Chase, III. 535. He stands at Bay against yon knotty Trunk.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, xxiv. 422. To fight to the last and die at bay.
b. fig. In phr. At a or to the bay: at or to close quarters; in great straits, in distress, at or to one’s last extremity. Cf. F. aux abois.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., 510 a. All former purposes were blanked, the governor at a bay, and [etc.].
1599. Pass. Pilgr., xi. Ah! that I had my lady at this bay, to kiss and clip me till I run away.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 17. Shall God haue us at so great a bay as he hath, and shall we wax carelesse.
1682. Dryden, Medal, Epistle. In utter Despair of your own Satyr, make me Satyrize myself. Some of you have been driven to this Bay already.
4. Of the effective action of the hunted animal: To hold or keep at (a) bay (the assailing hounds); to give the bay to (obs.); and (rarely) of the corresponding position of the hounds: To be at bay.
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon (1883), 395. As the wyld bore doth kepe a baye agaynst the mastyues and bayynge houndes.
1553–87. Foxe, A. & M., III. 239. Whereat the Chancellor was much offended: but Bradford still kept him at the bay.
1577. Fenton, Guicciard., I. (1599), 35. With his industry … he had giuen the bay to his aduersaries.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 973. She hears the hounds are at a bay.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 620. Thy faithful Dogs … who … hold at Bay The Mountain Robbers.
1711. F. Fuller, Med. Gymn., Pref. By Riding … keep Death as it were at a Bay.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., III. xiv. 256. The spoils of the church furnished the arms by which the Pope … could be held at bay.
