Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A town in central Kansas, USA: "Hays" is the name of a city located in the central part of the state of Kansas.
   • A surname: "Hays" is a family name, most notably associated with two American lawyers and public figures from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (Place):

  • We drove through Hays on our way to Denver.
  • Fort Hays State University is located in Hays, Kansas.

• Proper noun (Person):

  • Will H. Hays was known for the Hays Code, which regulated American cinema.
  • The trial was presided over by Judge Hays.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Reference: The name "Hays" in a historical context often refers to the "Hays Code" (officially the Motion Picture Production Code), which governed the content of American films for decades.
  • Filmmakers had to navigate the strict rules of the Hays Code.

Variants and Related Words

• Hays Code (noun phrase): The set of industry moral guidelines for American motion pictures.
  • The Hays Code prohibited certain depictions of crime and sexuality.

Synonyms

• Surname: Last name, family name.
• City: Municipality, town.

Noun

1. a town in central Kansas
2. United States lawyer involved in several famous court trials (1881-1954)
3. United States lawyer and politician who formulated a production code that prescribed the moral content of United States films from 1930 to 1966 (1879-1954)