▪ I. might, n.
(maɪt)
Forms: 1 meaht, maht, mæht, meht, mieht, miht, 2–3 maht(e, meht(e, 3 mæht(e, Ormin mahht(e, (3 mayht), 2–4 miht(e, 3 Ormin mihht, 3–4 miȝt(e, myht(e, 3–5 myȝt(e, (3 miȝhte, 4 mit), 3–6 Sc. micht, 4–6 myght(e, Sc. mycht, (4–5 mygth(e, 5 myhth, 6 miht, mighte), 3– might. See also maught, to which some of the early forms above may belong.
[OE. miht, Anglian and Kentish mæht, fem. = OS. maht (Du. macht), OHG., MHG. maht (mod.G. macht), Goth. mahts:—OTeut. *mahti-z f. root *mag- to be able or powerful: see may v.1 ON. had *mátt-r:—*mahtu-z from the same root, whence maucht; the late OIcel. makt fem., MSw. makt (mod.Sw. makt, magt) fem., Da. magt are from German.
Outside Teut. a corresponding formation exists in OSl. moštĭ (:—pre-Slav. *mokti-s).]
1. a. The quality of being able (to do what is desired); operative power (whether great or small). Const. inf. Obs. exc. poet.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 31 Forðon..he [sc. the Devil] næniᵹe mehte wið us nafaþ. c 1200 Ormin 2956 Drihhtin me ȝifeþ witt & mihht To forþenn wel min wille. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4853 Þanne vyȝteþ hii aȝen vs, as moche as is hor miȝte. a 1300 Cursor M. 26271 Þar-til has simple preist na might..wit-vten biscop ordinance. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame i. 41 Yf that spiritis haue the myght To make folke to dreme a-nyght. ? 1464 Paston Lett. II. 171 Ze have no myght, neyther power to absteyne and rewle yourself. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxxvii. 13 The knychtis..Fell doun as deid, afferit of his licht, Quhome to behald thay had no grace nor mycht. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iii. ii. 164 For to be wise and loue, Exceedes mans might, that dwels with gods aboue. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. cviii, What profit lies in barren faith,..tho' with might To scale the heaven's highest height. 1869 M. Arnold Urania, But our ignoble souls lack might. |
b. In various phrases; esp. over might, beyond one's powers; † to lay might, to do one's utmost. Obs. exc. in the phrase with all one's might, with all one's powers; to the utmost of one's ability.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 39 Þu scalt sahtnien þa þe beoð unisahte mid alle þine mahte. c 1200 Ormin 945 Follȝhenn itt [hiss lare] Aȝȝ affterr ȝure mihhte. c 1275 Passion our Lord 111 in O.E. Misc. 40 Þu [Iudas] hit seyst..and dest al þine mihte. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 30/35 [They] duden him harm bi al heore miȝhte. a 1300 Cursor M. 19625 It es to þe vte ouer might A-gain þe stranger for to fight. Ibid. 26294 If..þou haf oft-sith laid might [c 1375 Fairf. done þi miȝt] his wrangwis liuelade for to right. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 156 Cinichus..A Somme which was over myht Preide of his king Antigonus. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xv. 28 Tyll egypp shall thou fare with all the myght thou may. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems x. 36 Be myrthfull now, at all ȝour mycht. 1611 Bible Eccl. ix. 10 Whatsoeuer thy hand findeth to doe, doe it with thy might. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 346 Th' unwieldly Elephant To make them mirth us'd all his might. 1782 Cowper J. Gilpin 92 He grasped the mane with both his hands, And eke with all his might. |
c. As an attribute of impersonal agents: Power, efficacy, virtue. Obs. exc. poet. † Also in particularized sense, a specific virtue or active property.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 126 ᵹenim þas ylcan wyrte heo of sumre wundurlicre mihte helpeð. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 47 For heo [sunne dei] hafð mid hire þreo wurdliche mihte. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 119 Fire haueð on him þre mihtes. a 1300 Cursor M. 8454 Lerd he, Bath o tres, and gress fele, Quil war þair mightes soth and lele. c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 125 This mirrour..Hath swich a myght þat men may in it see Whan ther shal fallen any Aduersitee. c 1402 Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. 87 The water was so holsome and vertuous, Thurgh myghte of herbes growynge there beside. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. vii. 30 One pretious stone Of wondrous worth, and eke of wondrous mights. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. i. 70 An oath of mickle might. 1600 ― A.Y.L. iii. v. 82 Dead Shepheard, now I find thy saw of might. c 1600 ― Sonn. lvi, Appetite, Which but to-day by feeding is allay'd, To-morrow sharpen'd in his former might. 1820 Shelley Witch of Atlas 177 Liquors..whose healthful might Could medicine the sick soul to happy sleep. ― Hymn Merc. lxv, I swear by these most gloriously-wrought portals (It is, you will allow, an oath of might). 1832 Tennyson Eleänore vii, In thee all passion becomes passionless,..Losing his fire and active might. |
† d. pl. Active powers (of the heart, soul, brain, etc.). the fivefold mights: the five senses. Obs.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 75 Þe alde deouel blou on adam and on eue..swa þet heore fif-falde mihte hom wes al binumen. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 And þurh þes fifealde gultes forleas þe fiffeald mihten þe god him ȝef. c 1340 Hampole Psalter xii. 6 When all þe myghtis of my hert ere raised in till þe soun of heuen. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 3 Siþþe þei myȝten..ocupie al þe myȝtis boþe of soule & body be þat clene religioun. Ibid. 217 Bi þis glotonye..þei..lesen..myȝttis of þe soule, as vnderstondynge, mynde & reson. a 1400 Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) ii. iv, Thenne shall the soule receyue the hole and the full felynge of god in all myghtes of it. 14.. Stockh. Med. MS. ii. 64 in Anglia XVIII. 309 It comfortyth þe stomak & mythys degestyf. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 191 Adam loued god wyth all the myghtes of hys harte. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence 17 If it..a-sende vp to þe heed, it troubliþ alle þe myȝtis of þe brayn. |
† 2. Bodily strength (great or small). Obs.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 254 ᵹif hæto oþþe meht ne wyrne læt him blod. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1670, & wiltu, wrecche, wiþ me vyhte? Na, nay, nauestu none Mihte. a 1300 Cursor M. 7090 He [Samson] had tuenti mens might. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. xiii. 203 Now by my feythe..I wylle preue sir kayes myghte. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems li. 17 He is ane mastyf, mekle of mycht. 1587 L. Mascall Govt. Cattle, Horses (1627) 102 Whereas a horse is weak in couering, so much weaker shal the colt be in growing & might. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. iv. 8, I haue a mans minde, but a womans might. 1611 Bible Jer. li. 30 Their might hath failed, they became as women. |
3. Great or transcendent power or strength; mightiness. Now somewhat rhetorical. a. As an attribute of God.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 31 Forþon his miht bið a ece, his rice ne bið ᵹewemmed. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 59 In eorðe in heuene in his mahte. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iv. 23 And puir anis did pryse thair Maker of mycht. 1650 Scotch Psalms xciii. iv, The Lord that is on high is more of might by far Than noise of many waters is. 1781 Cowper Conversat. 473 Fruits of his love and wonders of his might. |
b. Of persons or living beings, nations, etc., with reference to bodily or mental power, commanding influence, military resources, extent of dominion, etc.
| a 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. viii. [ix.] (1890) 120 ᵹeweox meaht eorðlices rices [of Eadwine]. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 547 Þes were as þre kinges & men of muchel miȝte. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 4 Ther mai nothing his [love's] miht withstonde. a 1400 Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 262 Loue, þou art of mikel mit. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxvii. 126 He es a grete lord of myȝt and of landes. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. ix. (1885) 129 We haue sene a subgett off the ffrench kynges in such myght, þat he hath gyven bataill to the same kyng, and putt hym to flight. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 182 The gentill King, Charlis of micht. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxxxviii. 7 Of merchauntis full of substaunce and myght. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. v. 130 England, shall giue him Office, Honor, Might. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 986 On th' other side Satan allarm'd Collecting all his might dilated stood. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 363 When he [sc. a bull] stands collected in his might. 1818 Shelley Eugan. Hills 196 As divinest Shakespeare's might Fills Avon and the world with light. 1857 Gladstone Sp. 3 Mar., That metamorphosed consul is forsooth to be at liberty to direct the whole might of England. 1891 T. Roosevelt Hist. Towns, New York i. 2 (Funk), Spain..was a power whose might was waning. |
† c. pl. in the same sense. Also, acts of power; mighty works. Obs.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Hymn 2 (Gr.) Nu scylun herᵹan hefaenricaes uard, metudæs maecti end his modᵹidanc. c 1300 St. Margarete 169 Also yneleoue hit noȝt þt his miȝtes were so stronge Eni so holi creatoure in his wombe afonge. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 366 God help him, that all mychtis may! c 1460 Towneley Myst. xii. 485 He that all myghtys may the makere of heuen. a 1550 Christis Kirke Gr. x, For he eschapit, throw michts of Mary. |
d. Of things or impersonal agencies. (Cf. 1 c.)
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 584 Fowerti dais and fowerti niȝt, So wex water mið maȝti miȝt. a 1300 Cursor M. 22679 Quen all þe stanes..Sal smitt togedir wit sli maght Als thoner dos. 1728 Pope Dunc. ii. 318 Whirlpools and storms..With all the might of gravitation blest. 1819 Shelley Peter Bell iv. xix, He proudly thought that his gold's might Had set those spirits burning. 1831 Wordsw. Depart. Sir W. Scott 8 The might Of the whole world's good wishes with him goes. 1833 Tennyson Fatima i, O Love, Love, Love! O withering might! |
4. Superiority of strength or power as used to enforce one's will. Chiefly in contrast with right. Also † by might: by wrongful force or violence.
| a 1327 Pol. Songs (Camden) 254 For miht is right, the lond is laweles. 1381 in Knighton Chron. (Rolls) II. 139 Lat myȝt helpe ryȝt, and skyl go before wille and ryȝt before myȝt, than goth oure mylne aryght. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Dk. York iv, To kepe by murder that they get by might. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 3 Miht had alreddi overcumd riht. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. ix. 6 He her unwares attacht, and captive held by might. 1657 Ld. Say & Seale in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1895) X. 107 With them [your lawers] thearfore whear thear is might thear is right, it is dominion if it succeed, but rebellion if it miscarry. 1881 Jowett Thucyd. I. 192 They went to war, preferring might to right. |
5. In senses 1–3 formerly often strengthened by being coupled with the synonymous main. Now rare exc. in phr. with (all one's) might and main, which is now only a more emphatic substitute for ‘with all one's might’ (see 1 b). Also as advb. phrase, might and main; strenuously, vigorously.
| c 950 Lindsf. Gosp. Luke iv. 36 Þæt is ðis word þætte in mæhte & mæᵹne [in potestate et uirtute] ᵹehateð gastum unclænum & ᵹeongas. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 218 Þes were in þisse bataile of mest miȝt & mayn. a 1300 Cursor M. 17028 For sin þat suet iesus had sua mikel might and main. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 56 Toward Wircestre he com with myght & mayn. c 1400 Melayne 282 Fyfty Lordis af gret Empryce,..Hase loste bothe Mayne & myghte. 1522 World & Child 195 (Manly) To serue hym truely..With mayne and all my myght. Ibid. 243, I haue myght and mayne ouer countrees fare. 1577 T. Vautrollier Luther on Ep. Gal. 80 The Deuill set vppon him with all might and maine. 1650 Howell Giraffi's Rev. Naples i. (1664) 48 The Card. Archb. of Naples with all his might and main..did not spare pains. 1787 F. Burney Diary 4 June, The hair-dresser..went to work first, and I second, with all our might and main. 1804 Nelson Lett. (1814) II. 7 They call out, might and main, for our protection. 1860 Emerson Cond. Life iii. (1861) 56 The manly part is to do with might and main what you can do. 1873 Black Pr. Thule xiv, Two or three idlers..were staring with might and main in at the door of the shop. 1888 Bryce Amer. Commw. III. lxxxiv. 121 Men..who did not regard even the gods, but trusted to their own might and main. |
† 6. As rendering of L. virtus. a. A virtue. Obs.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 105 Nu beoð .viii. heafod mihtan þe maȝen ouercumen alle þas sunnan. c 1200 Vices & Virtues 25 An hali mihte is icleped fides recta. c 1230 Hali Meid. 14 [Meiðhad is] mihte ouer alle mihtes. |
† b. pl. The fifth of the nine orders of angels of the celestial hierarchy according to the arrangement of Dionysius the Areopagite. Cf. virtue. Also gen. heavenly powers, angels. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 342 Uirtutes [sind ᵹecwedene] mihta, ðurh ða wyrcð God fela wundra. c 1440 York Myst. i. 33 Of all þe mightes I haue made moste nexte after me, I make þe [Lucifer] als master and merour of my mighte. 1535 Coverdale Eph. i. 21 And set him..aboue all rule, power, and mighte, and dominacion. 1652 Bp. Hall Invis. World i. vii. (1847) 88 The presumption of those men, who..have taken upon them to marshal these Angelical spirits...In the second [Hierarchy] of universal regency; finding.. Mights, to be the Generals of the heavenly Militia... In the third of special government, placing..Powers, forty times more than Principalities: Mights, fifty more than Powers. |
7. dial. A considerable quantity or amount.
| 1834 W. A. Caruthers Kentuckian in N.Y. I. 28 I'm 'bliged to do a might of business in Baltimore afore I can go on. 1878 J. H. Beadle Western Wilds ii. 29 It took a might of time. Ibid. 43 It was a might o' comfort, though, to see 'em 'fore they died. 1903 in Eng. Dial. Dict. (Yks., Suffolk). 1955 J. Masters Coromandel! i. 20 A sleeveless leather jerkin that..hid a might of queer things. |
8. A possibility as distinct from a certainty.
| 1901 M. Franklin My Brilliant Career xvi. 133 ‘We might have both been drowned,’ he said sternly. ‘Mights don't fly,’ I returned. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 344 There was just a might that he might be out. 1961 C. H. D. Todd Pop. Whippet 57 You don't want any might about it—you need to know. |
▪ II. † might, a. Obs. rare.
Forms: 3 miȝt, 5 myght.
[? f. might n.: cf. almight a. (OE. had meaht adj.:—prehistoric *mahto-, a ppl. formation from the same root.)]
= mighty.
| [a 1000 Phœnix 377 (Gr.) Forᵹeaf him se meahta moncynnes fruma.] c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3038 And knowen sal ben In euerilc lond min miȝte name. c 1460 Play Sacram. 85 For of a merchante most myght therof my tale ys told. Ibid. 182 Mace, mastyk that myght ys. |
▪ III. might
pa. tense of may v.1