/maɪt/, [maɪt], [mɐɪt]
OriginFrom Middle English myght, might (also maught, macht, maht), from Old English miht, mieht, meaht, mæht (“might, bodily strength, power, authority, ability, virtue, mighty work, miracle, angel”), from Proto-West Germanic *mahti, from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz, *mahtuz (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *mógʰtis, *megʰ- (“to allow, be able, help”), corresponding to Germanic *maganą + *-þiz. Equivalent to may + -th.
Cognate with Scots micht, maucht (“might”), North Frisian macht (“might, ability”), West Frisian macht (“might, ability”), Dutch macht (“might, power”), German Macht (“power, might”), Swedish makt (“might”), Norwegian makt (“power”), Icelandic máttur (“might”), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃 (mahts), and further to Russian мочь (močʹ, “power, might”) and мощь (moščʹ, “force, strength”), Ukrainian міч (mič) and міць (micʹ, “power”), Bulgarian мощ (mošt, “power, might”), Serbo-Croatian moć (“power”), Czech moc (“power”), Polish moc (“power”). See more at may.
- countable, uncountablePower, strength, force, or influence held by a person or group.
“[…]ſtrengthed with all myght, thꝛough his gloꝛious power, unto all pacience and long ſufferyng with ioifulneſſe[…]”
“This is the richest, the most powerful country which ever occupied this globe. The might of past empires is little compared to ours. But I do not want to be the president who built empires or sought g”
“Since every nation considers itself right, peace lies in balancing the military mights of the possible rivals.”
- uncountablePhysical strength or force.
“He pushed with all his might, but still it would not move.”
- uncountableThe ability to do something.
- obsoleteMighty; powerful.
- obsoletePossible.
- auxiliary, form-of, no-past-participle, no-present-participle, pastsimple past of may
“He asked me if he might go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.”
“I thought that I might go the next day.”
“Let's finish this task so that we might go home asap.”
- auxiliary, no-past-participle, no-present-participleUsed to indicate a desired past action that was not done.
“You might have warned me about the thunderstorm.”
- auxiliary, no-past-participle, no-present-participleUsed to indicate conditional or possible actions; would perhaps/maybe.
“Well, I might go to a party, but I haven't decided yet.”
“The characterism of an honest man: He looks not to what he might do, but what he should.”
““A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in”
- auxiliary, no-past-participle, no-present-participleUsed concessively to admit something before making a more accurate or important statement; although
“I might be in a wheelchair, but I still want to be treated as a lady.”
“I might play football, but I do know how to read.”
- auxiliary, no-past-participle, no-present-participleUsed in polite requests for permission.
“"Might I take the last biscuit? I wonder if I might have a little more coffee too." "Yes you may, help yourself.".”
- UK, auxiliary, no-past-participle, no-present-participleUsed to express certainty.
“Yeah, I think we might need something a bit sturdier.”
Formsmights(plural) · mite(alternative) · mighter(comparative) · mightest(superlative) · might(present, singular, third-person) · might(past) · mought(alternative) · mout(alternative) · med(alternative, dialectal)