Ought Definition
ôt
verb
Used to indicate obligation or duty.
You ought to work harder than that.
American Heritage
Used to indicate advisability or prudence.
You ought to wear a raincoat.
American Heritage
Used to indicate desirability.
You ought to have been there; it was great fun.
American Heritage
Used to indicate probability or likelihood.
She ought to finish by next week.
American Heritage
To be compelled by obligation or duty.
He ought to pay his debts.
Webster's New World
noun
Obligation or duty.
Webster's New World
Anything whatever; aught.
Webster's New World
A nought; the figure zero (0)
Webster's New World
A statement of what ought to be the case as contrasted to what is the case.
Wiktionary
adverb
To any degree; at all; aught.
Webster's New World
Origin of Ought
-
Middle English oughten to be obliged to from oughte owned from Old English āhte past tense of āgan to possess aik- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Old English āhte, past tense of āgan (“own, possess")
From Wiktionary
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