ought English · revision 5779

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ɔːt/, US /ɑːt/, /ɔːt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|should}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 950}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The auxiliary is [[inh|enm|oughte]], aghte, past tense of owen “to owe”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|āhte|t=owned, possessed]], the past tense of [[m|ang|āgan|t=to own, possess, owe]] (see [[owe]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) It was originally the past tense of owe, expressing any kind of duty or obligation;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) its present meaning comes partly from the subjunctive, “should owe as a duty”.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Owed, was under obligation to pay: about 950 in the OED and Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) Possessed or owned is from before 1000.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a past tense of owe, ought meant in Middle English both “possessed” and “owed”;^(Etymonline) Spenser still used it for “possessed”, as Trench noted.^(Trench 1859) As an auxiliary expressing duty or moral obligation it is from the late 12th century,^(Etymonline) and as a verb in its own right (ahten, oughten, “to be bound to”) from before 1225.^(Barnhart 1988) It has been separate from owe since the 17th century, though East Anglian dialect still said he aught me ten pounds about 1825.^(Etymonline) The noun, a duty or obligation, is from 1678.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) The Century Dictionary (1895) called ought stronger than should, expressing duty, while should expresses propriety or expediency.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 950 – owed.^(OED 1989)

+ * a1000 – possessed.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 12th century – expressing duty.^(Etymonline)

+ * a1225 – ahten, to be bound to.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1678 – the noun, a duty.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(ought to)'' Used to express [[duty]] or obligation: ''you ought to apologize''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Used to express what is advisable or sensible.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Used to express what is likely or expected: ''they ought to be there by now''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ {{homograph|2|zero}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=1844}}

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+ ==Etymology==

+ The zero is probably an alteration of [[nought]], by wrong division of a nought as an ought,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) perhaps influenced by [[aught]] “anything” and by the figure 0, taken as the letter o.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Zero, a cipher: 1844 in the OED and Barnhart, in Dickens's ''Martin Chuzzlewit''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The OED marked it as a vulgar corruption.^(OED 1989) It is used in ''oughts and crosses'' for noughts and crosses,^(Barnhart 1988) and in Scots, Yorkshire and Devon dialect.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1844 – ought, zero.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(dated)'' [[zero|alt=Zero]], [[nought]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[owe]]

+ * [[own]]

+ * [[aught]]

+ * [[nought]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The AHD notes that ought to is sometimes used without a following verb when the meaning is clear (''Yes, we ought to''), and that in questions and negatives to is sometimes dropped (''Oughtn't we be going?''), chiefly in American English.^(AHD) Ought is also a variant spelling of [[aught]], anything.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}