▪ I. ought, n.1 (pron.), adv.
(ɔːt)
var. of aught n.2
▪ II. ought, n.2
[ought v. 5 used for the nonce as a noun.]
That which is denoted by the verb ought; duty, obligation.
| 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. v. 874 The Will of God, is Goodness, Justice, and Wisdom; or Decorousness, Fitness, and Ought it self, Willing. 1865 Mozley Mirac. iii. 257 Without the sense of ‘ought’..there is nothing to bind the individual to those actions. 1874 Geo. Eliot Coll. Breakf. P. in Jubal, etc. 260 The will supreme, the individual claim, The social Ought, the lyrist's liberty. 1878 Gladstone Prim. Homer vi. §30. 87 The two great ideas of the divine will, and of the Ought, or duty, are the principal factors in the government of our human world. 1908 A. Bennett Human Machine 43 You have a special apparatus within you for dealing with a universe where oughts are flagrantly disregarded. 1933 W. de la Mare Lord Fish 269 His master had told him little about his oughts. 1941 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 3 July 10/7 (Advt.), Oughts for a great vacation. Bathing, boardwalk and ‘loaf-life’ specials. Mens & Boys Swim Trunks. |
▪ III. ought, n.3
Vulgar corruption of nought in sense ‘cipher’.
Prob. originating in an erroneous division of ‘a nought’ as ‘an ought’; but by many associated with the figure 0 of the cipher, which they take as the initial O of ought. oughts and crosses, a children's game with a figure containing nine spaces, which are filled up by two players alternately with ciphers and crosses, the object of each being to place three of one kind in a line; = noughts and crosses.
| 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xix, ‘Three score and ten’, said Chuffey, ‘ought and carry seven... Oh! why—why—why—didn't he live to four times ought's an ought, and four times two's an eight, eighty?’ 1854 N. & Q. Ser. i. IX. 527/1 (Devonshire saying) Oughts are nothings unless they've strokes to them. 1861 Sala Dutch Pict. ix. 130 A vile childish scrawl, done over a half smeared-out game of oughts and crosses. 1874 G. W. Dasent Half a Life 32 Units were taken for oughts, and oughts added to units. |
▪ IV. ought, v.
(ɔːt)
Forms: α. 1 áhte, 2–4 ahte, (3 æhte, ahhte, hahte), 3–4 auhte, (3 aucte), 3–5 aȝt(e, aght(e, aute, 4 achte, awȝte, auht, ahut, awt, 4–5 auȝt(e, aughte, 4–6 acht, Sc. awcht, 4–7 aught, 5–6 awght, 4– Sc. aucht. β. 3 ohte, 3–4 oȝte, 3–5 ouhte, oute, 4–5 oghte, ouȝt(e, out, 4–6 oughte, (5 owghte, 5–6 owte), 4–7 owght, (5 owȝt, oght), 4– ought, (4– dial. owt, 6– Sc. oucht, ocht, s.w. dial. oft). γ. 4 iȝte, ight(e, iht, 5 eght.
[OE. áhte, ME. ôhte, oȝte, oughte, pa. tense of áᵹan, ME. oȝen, owen, mod. owe v. q.v. This partly retains a past sense; but as an auxiliary of predication it has become indefinite as to time: see branch III, and B.]
A. as finite verb; properly pa. tense of owe. I. pa. tense of owe v. in sense ‘to have or possess’.
† 1. a. Possessed, owned. (Cf. owe v. 1.) Obs.
| α a 1000 Beowulf 31 Leof land-fruma longe ahte. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 33 Þah..þu ahtest al weorld iwald. c 1205 Lay. 25083 Þeos weoren mine ælderen..ahten [c 1275 adde] alle þa leoden þa into Rome leien. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 156 Me salle haf wele alle þat þou euer auht. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 45 Off Kingis, that aucht that reawte. c 1375 Cursor M. 4253 (Fairf.) Alle þe gode and catel þat he aȝt. c 1440 Jacob's Well 203 It schulde haue be restoryd to hem þat awtyn it. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 24 The oxe hes knawin the man that aucht him. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 249 At the beginning of meate..he that aught the house..sould say the grace. a 1670 Spalding Troub. Chas. I (1850) I. 205 The poor men that aucht thame follouit in. |
| β a 1225 Ancr. R. 390 He..bead for to makien hire cwene of al þet he ouhte. c 1350 Will. Palerne 3229 Þe king ebrouns it ouȝt þat was hire lord bi fore. c 1400 Destr. Troy 12404 By leue of the lord, þat the lond oght. c 1440 Gesta Rom. liv. 235 (Harl. MS.) He that owte the shelde. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. xii, The name of this castel is Tyntygayl & a duke oughte it somtyme. 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib. iii. Wks. 1219/2 Who ought your castel (Cosyn) thre thousande yere agoe? 1632 Lithgow Trav. v. 204 The Turke who ought my Mule. |
| γ 13.. Cursor M. 6719 (Cott.) Þe lord þat þat beist aght Sal þar-for ansuer at his maght [G. iht..miht, Tr. ight..myȝt]. |
b. with inversion of sense: Belonged. Obs.
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. v, There came the knyghte to whome the pauelione ought. |
II. pa. tense of owe v. in its existing sense.
† 2. a. Had to pay, was under obligation to pay or render; owed. (Cf. owe v. 2.) Obs. or dial.
The full phrase ahte to ᵹeldanne, ‘had to pay’ = debebat, owed, appears in the Lindisfarne Gospels; but, for the following two centuries and a half, examples are wanting to show the passing of this into the simple ahte: see owe v. 2.
| α [c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xviii. 24 Enne seðe ahte to ᵹeldanne [Vulg. debebat, Rushw. sculde, Ags. G. sceolde, Hatt. scolde] tea ðusendo cræftas. Ibid. 28 Enne of efneðeᵹnum his seðe ahte to ᵹeldenna [other vv. as in 24] hundrað scillinga. Ibid. Luke vii. 41 An ahte to ᵹeldanne [Vulg. debebat, Ags. Gosp. sceolde] penningas fif hund.] a 1300 Cursor M. 21422 Pour he was..And til a juu he mikel aght. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 226 Quhair is the kyndnes thow aucht to Claudius? a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia s.v. Aught, He aught me ten pounds. |
| β a 1225 Ancr. R. 124 A mon þet leie ine prisune, & ouhte muche raunsun. Ibid. 406 Þu ȝulde þet tu ouhtest. 1382 Wyclif Luke vii. 41 Tweye dettours were to sum leenere..oon ouȝte fyue hundrid pens, and an other fyfty. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. iii, He asked hir by the feith she ouȝt to hym. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.) II. 4 Foure dettores some tyme..oughten moneye to a userere. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 279 Whether..the Abbat of St. Augustine and his tenants ought suite to the Bishop's Court. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iii. iii. 152 He..sayde this other day, You ought him a thousand pound. 1677 Govt. Venice 145 The Obedience he ought to his Superiours. c 1685 Life A. Martindale 231 (E.D.D.) Burton..said he ought him nothing. |
b. absol. Was in debt (to). (Cf. owe v. 2 b.)
| 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 167 The Kyng of Aragon..deneyed it [service], and saide he aute not but to the Kyng of Spain. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 277 b/1 The good man..constrayned hym by his othe to swere whether he ought hym or no. 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God vi. vii. (1620) 234 That the first man she met..should pay her for the sport that Hercules ought her for. |
† 3. fig. a. Owed, had to repay (an ill turn, shame, etc.). (Cf. owe v. 3.) Obs.
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1609 Hypsip., Fortune hire oughte a foul myschaunce. c 1460 Towneley Myst. ii. 314 We! na! I aght the a fowll dispyte. 1575 Gamm. Gurton i. iii, The devill, or els his dame they ought her sure a shame. 1652 Brome Damoiselle iii. i. Wks. 1873 I. 416 The Devill sure Ought me a mischiefe, when he enabled that Old Wretch, my Father to beget me. 1694 R. L'Estrange Fables cclxxviii. (1714) 294 The Devil Ought him a Shame, and paid him both Interest and Principal. |
b. Hence, Bore, entertained, or cherished (ill or good will, a grudge, a spite, regarded as something yet to be paid or rendered); sometimes nearly = showed, rendered (favour, allegiance, etc.). Obs.
| α 1495 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 112 He haught a favor & good lordship to his servant Kilborne. |
| β 1465 Marg. Paston in P. Lett. II. 186 He ought you ryght gode wyll. 1494 Fabyan Chron. ii. xlviii. 31 By his excercysyng of Iustyce y⊇ Brytons ought to hym more fauour than to eyther of his neuewes. a 1529 Skelton P. Sparowe 322 So trayterously my byrde to kyll That neuer ought the euyll wyll! 1535 Coverdale Ps. liv. [lv.] 12 One that ought me euell will dyd threaten me. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Northumbld. v, Til Fortune ought both him and vs a spite. 1597 Beard Theatre God's Judgem. (1612) 150 He purposed to stab one whom he ought a grudge vnto with his dagger. 1678 Marvell Growth Popery Wks. 1875 IV. 337 He highly inveighed against many gentlemen..that ought him no homage, as persons disaffected. |
† 4. Was indebted or beholden for; owed. (Cf. owe v. 4.) Obs.
| 1594 ? Greene Selimus Wks. 1881–3 XIV. 217 Your Emperour ought his safetie vnto you. 1651 tr. De-las-Coveras' Don Fenise 167, I saw I ought my life to this Cavalier. 1658 Cleveland Rustick Rampant Wks. (1687) 505 To whose Christian Piety he ought the two last Days of his Life. |
III. As auxiliary of predication.
5. The general verb to express duty or obligation of any kind; strictly used of moral obligation, but also with various weaker shades of meaning, expressing what is befitting, proper, correct, advisable, or naturally expected. Only in pa. tense (ind. or subj.), which may be either past or present in meaning. (The only current use in standard Eng.)
The subject is properly the person (or thing) bound by the obligation, which latter is expressed by a following infinitive (with, formerly also without, to), sometimes omitted by ellipsis. Followed by a passive infinitive, it expresses obligation on the part of some undefined or unexpressed agent, the subject in this case being the person, etc. to whom the obligation is due (e.g. parents ought to be honoured = it is a duty to honour parents).
a. In past sense: = Owed it to duty; was (were) bound or under obligation (to do something). Usually, now only, in dependent clause, corresponding to a preceding past tense in principal clause: he said you ought = he said it was your duty. (Cf. c below.)
| α c 1200 Ormin 19108 Annd tohh swa þehh ne cnew himm nohht Þe werelld alls itt ahhte. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4135 Vor he truste to hom mest, as me þincþ he wel aȝte. c 1300 Havelok 2787 Yif þat she aucte quen to be. 1382 Wyclif Isa. v. 4. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. ii. 52 Robert þe Brwys, Erle of Karryk Aucht to succeed to þe Kynryke. |
| β c 1305 St. Lucy 4 in E.E.P. (1862) 101 Of such a child wel glad heo was: as heo wel ouȝte. 1388 Wyclif Isa. v. 4 What is it that Y ouȝt [1382 awȝte] to do more to my vyner? 1553 N. Grimalde Cicero's Offices (c 1600) 140 Hee ought, in that case, to recompence him. 1692 E. Walker Epictetus' Mor. (1737) To Mr. Walker 61 Till you..did kindly teach Apollo, what he out to preach. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 268 ¶1 It is not that I think I have been more witty than I ought of late. 1812 Byron Waltz vii, His Sancho thought The knight's fandango friskier than it ought. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. x. II. 592 To convince him that he ought to stay where he was. 1892 Law Times XCIII. 414/2 He [the judge] did not think that the defendant ought to be kept in prison any longer. |
b. In present sense: = Am (is, are) bound or under obligation; you ought to do it = it is your duty to do it; it ought to be done = it is right that it should be done, it is a duty (or some one's duty) to do it. (The most frequent use throughout. Formerly expressed by the pres. t., owe v. 5.)
This appears to be orig. the pa. subj. (which in ME. and mod.Eng. has the same form as the indic.) used first in hypothetical or general cases; e.g. Ought one to tell the truth under all circumstances? If it should rain, he ought not to go. If he cannot go to-day, he ought to go to-morrow. Thence, in definite present sense, as Tell me what I ought to do now. The use of the pa. subj. softens the form of the expression; cf. the parallel you should for it is your duty; also would you for will you; might I for may I; could you for can you.
(a) with to and infin.
| α c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 5 Þes we ahte[n] to beon þe edmoddre. a 1200 Moral Ode 129 Þet achten we to leuen wel. c 1230 Hali Meid. 35 Þu ahtest wummon þis werc..ouer alle þing to schunien. 1307 Elegy Edw. I, ii, Al Englond ahte forte knowe, Of wham that song is that y synge. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 70 O doughtir Cristyn..wych awtyst to be The lyght of myn eyn. a 1609 Form Baron Courts i. §11 in Skene Reg. Maj. 100 b, The Clerk aucht to inroll them formallie. 1658 Hatton Corr. (Camden) 15 Therefore I aught to begg your pardon. |
| β c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 545 O paleys empty and disconsolat..Wel oughtestow to falle and I to dye. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop ii. i, Whan men haue that which men oughte to haue they ought to be ioyful and glad. 1529 Wolsey in Four C. Eng. Lett. 10 [This] owt to moue petyfull hertys. 1558 Knox First Blast (Arb.) 8 Suche as oght to mainteine the truth and veritie of God. c 1590 Greene Orpharion (1599) 57 We oft rightly to think of women, seeing so oft we seeke their favors. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. ii. ii. §2 It ought to be looked upon with veneration. 1717 Pope Eloisa to Abelard 183, I ought to grieve, but cannot what I ought. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones vii. xiii, When gentlemen admit inferior Parsons into their company, they oft to keep their distance. 1771 Junius Lett. xlviii. 252 The precedent ought to be followed. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 144 An alien..ought not to be permitted to levy a fine. 1880 Mrs. Parr Adam & Eve xvii. 244 Up when they oft to be abed, and abed when they oft to be up. 1886 Ld. Esher in Law Rep. 32 Chanc. Div. 26 There is nothing here to shew that the parties ought not be bound by their contract. |
† (b) with simple infin. Obs. or arch.
| α a 1200 Moral Ode 2 Mi wit ahte bon mare. 1297 R. Glouc. 9281 Ich þonke ȝou as ich wel aȝte [v.r. aute] do. 13.. Cursor M. 267 Cursur o werld man aght it call. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. ii. 28, I auȝte ben herre þan she. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. xxx. (1869) 192 Þe vengeaunce of god..of whiche alle auhten haue drede. 1578–1600 Sc. Poems 16th C. (1801) II. 271 Than acht he be of all puissance denude. |
| β a 1225 Ancr. R. 326 Nie þinges beoð þet ouhten hien touward schrifte. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. Prol. 20 A litel thyng..That oghte liken yow. c 1449 Pecock Repr. 218 He ouȝte more tent ȝeue to his owne good lyuyng..than he out ȝeue tent to the good lyuyng of eny other persoon. 1589 Pasquil's Ret. B, Her Maiestie layeth such a logge vppon their consciences, as they ought not beare. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. i. i. 3 You ought not walke Vpon a labouring day, without the signe Of your Profession. 1648 Milton Tenure Kings (1650) 14 On the autority of Law the autority of a Prince depends and to the Laws ought submitt. 1751 Eliza Heywood Betsy Thoughtless IV. 141 Ought my friendship to the husband render me insensible of the beauties of the wife? 1815 Zeluca III. 318 Do not get habituated to a word you ought never use. 1868 Browning Agamemnon 796 How ought I address thee, how ought I revere thee? |
c. With past sense indicated by the use of a following perf. infin. with have: you ought to have known = it was your duty to know, you should have known. (The usual modern idiom.)
| 1551 Bible 2 Kings v. 13 Yf y⊇ prophet had byd the done some great thinge oughtest thou not then to haue done it? 1552 Bk. Com. Prayer Gen. Conf., We haue left vndone those thinges whiche we oughte to haue done. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. i. (1841) I. 16 Dear child, you ought to have been told who God is before now. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 379, I ought to have exhibited an example of valour. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 659 note, Sir John Reresby, who ought to have been well informed, positively affirms that [etc.]. 1864 Tennyson North. Farmer i. 20, I thowt a said whot a owt to 'a said an' I coomed awaäy. 1895 Law Times XCIX. 465/1 Lord Londesborough knew, or ought to have known, that his bill of exchange was intended to circulate. |
† 6. quasi-impers., with dative object. (Cf. owe v. 6.) a. In past sense: Behoved, befitted, was due (to). Obs.
| α 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7348 Watloker it aȝte her. a 1300 Cursor M. 6014 (Cott.) Ful wel þam aght þair king to blam. c 1400 Destr. Troy 3980 Onest ouerall, as aght hir astate. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) lviii, That ladi gente..did wele that hur aghte to do. |
| β c 1366 Chaucer A.B.C. 119 But oonly þer we diden not as us ouhte Doo. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. xii, I haue no thynge done but that me ought for to doo. |
b. In present sense: Behoves, befits, is due (to). Obs.
| α c 1340 Cursor M. 12988 (Fairf.) Þe ne haȝt haue na doute. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 84 Us auȝte not to suppose. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1595 Me aughte to honour theme in erthe Over alle oþer thyngez. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 1185 Than aght vs offre to crist golde of dilectionne. |
| β a 1225 Ancr. R. 2 Þis nis nowt ibet ȝet al se wel hit ouhte. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 429 Hym oughte now to have the lesse peyne. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 3 b, If a kyng..leue to do eny of the lytil thynges that hym ought. c 1500 Lancelot 2995 For well it oucht o prince or o king Til honore and til cherish in al thing O worthi man. |
| γ 13.. Min. P. Vernon MS. xxxvii. 126, I ouȝte loue Iesu, ful of miȝte, And worschipe him..as me well iȝte. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 3755 The forsaide stedes eght vs to visit. |
IV. 7. The pa. pple. ought (aught) was formerly in literary use, and is still common in dialectal or vulgar use, to form the perfect tense or passive voice of owe v.: a. Owed; b. Possessed (mod. Sc.); c. Been obliged (vulgar Eng.).
| a. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxii. (Laurentius) 381 Ȝet paynis are aucht þe mony. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xiv, He hath oughte you and vs euer good wille. 1495 in Calr. Doc. rel. Scotl. (1888) 327 [Paying] all maills, fermes, and dewties acht and wont. 1535 Coverdale 2 Macc. xii. 3 As though they had ought them no euell wyll. 1639 Conceits, Clinches, etc. (Halliw.) 46 A gentleman who had ought him money a long time. 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. I. 4 The Press hath ought him a shame a long time, and is but now beginning to pay off the Debt. |
| b. c 1560 A. Scott Poems iv. 31 And nevir speir quhais awcht hir. a 1800 in Scott Old Mort. Introd., I would give half of what I am aught, to know if it is still in existence. |
(Here perh. belongs the Sc. Whae's aucht this? to whom does this belong? But the analysis is not clear.)
| c. 1836 Haliburton (Sam Slick) Clockmaker Introd., It don't seem to me that I had ought to be made a fool on in that book. 1895 Rosemary Chilterns 172 (E.D.D.) Rose had ought to get married. Mod. dial. Did you do that? You hadn't ought (= ought not to have done it). |
8. With periphrastic auxiliary did, corresponding to uses under sense 5. dial., colloq., and vulgar.
| 1854 C. M. Yonge Heartsease II. iii. ix. 236, I..told him he didn't ought to go. 1867 R. Young Rabin Hill's Excursion to Weston-super-Mare 12 That's jist how things did ought to be. 1876, 1888 [see oughta, oughter]. 1932 D. L. Sayers Have his Carcase xxvii. 356, I did ought to have spoke up at the time. 1942 ‘M. Innes’ Daffodil Affair i. 17 And I hope that none here will say I did anything I didn't ought. For I only done my duty. |
B. as present stem, with inflexions (oughteth, oughted, oughting). Obs. or dial.
† 1. To be under obligation (to do something); = A. 5, owe v. 5. Obs.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr., Summe symple persoones hadden thilk opinioun tho iij seid persoones ouȝtiden to be slayn. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 10 The more he oughteth to dispose hymselfe to fede of this heuenly meet. 1654 Cokaine Dianea ii. 123 The cause is common to all, Kings oughting not to suffer Usurpation of States in others lest they find the experience of it in their owne. |
2. Sc. To have to pay; = owe v. 2.
| 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 4 The reuerence that ye aucht to our Lord Jesus Christ. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. Cert. Deuot Prayers 32 To the surly, we aught al that we can doe, al that we liue, al that we vnderstand. 1822 Scott Nigel v, We aught him the siller, and will pay him wi' our convenience. |
3. Sc. To possess; = owe v. 1, own v. 1.
| a 1800 in Heslop Prov. Scot. (1862) 136 Let him haud the bairn that aughts the bairn. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf ix, I am answerable for her to those that aught her. 1826 J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 I. 266 Without ony illwill to the master that aughts him. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped 24 There's naebody but you and me that ought the name. 1896 Barrie Tommy 202 The man as ocht Jerusalem greets because the fair Circassian winna take him. |
4. pres. pple. Sc. aughtand, -en, auchtan(d: a. Owing, indebted; b. Due: = owing ppl. a. 1, 2.
| a 1609 Form Baron Courts xiii. §3 in Skene Reg. Maj. 104 b, He sall sweir..that he is not aughtand to him sic ane summe of debt. 1644 in Row Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) p. xxvii, My wife gat sum peniworthes fra Nans Girson, quhilk shoe was aughten to the box, and after I had mad all my compt, I was auchtand 2s. to the box. 1651 D. Calderwood Hist. Kirk (1843) II. 426 To pay to the collectors the summes aughtand. |
▪ V. ought
obs. misspelling of ort; obs. f. out.