What does ought mean?
Definitions for ought
ɔtought
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word ought.
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Wiktionary
oughtnoun
cipher, zero, nought.
Etymology: ahte, past tense of agan
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Oughtnoun
Any thing; not nothing.
Etymology: awhit , that is, a whit, Saxon.
For ought that I can understand, there is no part but the bare English pale, in which the Irish have not the greatest footing. Edmund Spenser, on Ireland.
He asked him if he saw ought. Mark viii. 23.
To do ought good never will be our task;
But ever to do ill our sole delight. John Milton, Par. Lost.Universal Lord! be bounteous still
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gather’d ought of evil, or conceal’d,
Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark. John Milton.Oughtverb imperfect.
but it has often a present signification.
Etymology: This word the etymologists make the preterite of owe,
Apprehending the occasion, I will add a continuance to that happy motion, and besides give you some tribute of the love and duty I long have ought you. Henry Spelman.
This blood which men by treason sought,
That followed, sir, which to myself I ought. Dryden.Judges ought to remember, that their office is to interpret law, and not to make or give law. Francis Bacon.
Morals criticks ought to show. Alexander Pope.
She acts just as she ought,
But never, never reach’d one generous thought. Alexander Pope.If grammar ought to be taught, it must be to one that can speak the language already. John Locke.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Ought
awt, n. (same as Aught) a vulgar corr. of nought.—adv. (Scot.) Ought′lings, at all, in any degree.
Ought
awt, v.i. to be under obligation: to be proper or necessary.—n. Ought′ness, rightness. [A.S. áhte, pa.t. of ágan, to owe.]
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'ought' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2070
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'ought' in Written Corpus Frequency: #675
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'ought' in Verbs Frequency: #339
Anagrams for ought »
tough
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of ought in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of ought in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8
Examples of ought in a Sentence
One thing I won't do is just say as a candidate :' I'm just going to tear up the agreement on the first day.' That sounds great, but maybe you ought to check in with your allies first, maybe you ought to appoint a secretary of state, maybe a secretary of defense. You might want to have your team in place before you take an act like that.
One thing I won't do is just say as a candidate: 'I'm just going to tear up the agreement on the first day.' That sounds great, but maybe you ought to check in with your allies first, maybe you ought to appoint a secretary of state, maybe a secretary of defense. You might want to have your team in place before you take an act like that.
If your treat an individual ... as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.
White House adviser John Podesta:
I think it’s time to open the book on questions that have remained in the dark, on the question of government investigations of UFOs, we ought to do it, really, because it’s right, we ought to do it because the American people, quite frankly, can handle the truth, and we ought to do it because it’s a law.
To enjoy the things we ought and to hate the things we ought has the greatest bearing on excellence of character.
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Translations for ought
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
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"ought." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 1 Dec. 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/ought>.
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