mought

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maʊt/

Verb

mought

1. (obsolete outside US dialects) Alternative form of might
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

     "I'm a plain man; rum and bacon and eggs is what I want, and that head up there for to watch ships off. What you mought call me? You mought call me captain..."

   • 1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage 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.’

2. (auxiliary, obsolete) past participle of may.
   • 1528, Sir Thomas More, A dyaloge of syr Thomas More knyghte: one of the counsayll of oure souerayne lorde the kyng and chauncellour of hys duchy of Lancaster. Wherin be treated dyuers maters, as of the veneration and worshyp of ymages and relyques, prayng to sayntys, and goyng on pylgrymage. Wyth many othere thyngys touching the pestylent sect of Luther and Tyndale, by the tone bygone in Sarony, and by tother laboryed to be brought in to Englond:

     sythe I suppose in my selfe þ^t yf we had mought cõuenyẽtly cum to gether ye wold rather haue chosĩ to haue hard my mynde of myn owne mouth thã by þ^e 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.