Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
mought. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
mought, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
mought in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
mought you have here. The definition of the word
mought will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
mought, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English moghte, from Old English muhte, late variant of meahte, mihte (“might”) due to the influence of the infinitive *mugan, itself an analogical remodelling of magan (“to be capable, to be able to”) after dugan (“to be useful”).
Pronunciation
Verb
mought
- (obsolete outside dialects) Alternative form of might
1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage, published 1993, page 46:‘Mought be a little in the barn. But dont let him hyear us, er he'll find hit and po hit out.’
- (auxiliary, obsolete) past participle of may.
- 1529, Sir Thomas More, A dyaloge of syr Thomas More knyghte: one of the counsayll of oure souerayne lorde the kyng & chauncellour of hys duchy of Lancaster. Wherin be treatyd dyuers maters, as of the veneration & Worshyp of ymagys & reliques, prayng to sayntys, & goyng on pylgrymage. Wyth many othere thyngys touchyng the pestylent sect of Luther and Tyndale, by the tone bygone in Saxony, and by tother laboryd to be brought in to Englond[1]:
- sythe I suppose in my selfe þt yf we had mought cõuenyẽtly cum to gether ye wold rather haue chosĩ to haue hard my mynde of myn owne mouth thã by þe mean of a nother
- (Modern Spelling) Since I suppose in myself that if we had mought conveniently come together you would rather have chosen to have heard my mind of mine own mouth than by the mean of another.
1626, Francis Bacon, New Atlantis:[The king Solamona] did ordain, that of the strangers that should be permitted to land, as many (at all times) mought depart as would; but as many as would stay, should have very good conditions, and means to live from the State.
References
Yola
Etymology
From Middle English moghte, from Old English muhte, rare variant of Old English meahte, mihte (“might”).
Pronunciation
Verb
mought
- might
1867, “CASTEALE CUDDE'S LAMENTATION”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 4, page 104:Hea pryet ich mought na ha chicke or hen,- He prayed I might not have chicken nor hen,
References
- Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 57