aught

aught
{{11}}aught (1) "something," O.E. awiht "aught, anything, something," lit. "e'er a whit," from P.Gmc. *aiwi "ever" (from PIE *aiw- "vital force, life, long life, eternity") + *wihti "thing, anything whatever" (see WIGHT (Cf. wight)). In Shakespeare, Milton and Pope, aught and ought occur indiscriminately.
{{12}}aught (2) "nothing, zero," faulty separation of a naught (see NAUGHT (Cf. naught); Cf. also ADDER (Cf. adder)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Aught — Aught, n. [OE. aught, ought, awiht, AS. [=a]wiht, [=a] ever + wiht. [root]136. See {Aye} ever, and {Whit}, {Wight}.] Anything; any part. [Also written {ought}.] [1913 Webster] There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord has spoken.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • aught — is an Old English word that survives only in the fixed expressions for aught I know and for aught I care, and as such is restricted to literary or archaic use …   Modern English usage

  • aught — [ôt] n. [ME < OE awiht < a, ever + wiht, a creature, WIGHT1] 1. anything whatever [for aught I know] [< a naught 2. (see NAUGHT), by faulty separation into an aught] a zero adv. Archaic to a …   English World dictionary

  • Aught — Aught, Aucht Aucht, n. [AS. ?ht, fr. [=a]gan to own, p. p. [=a]hte.] Property; possession. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Aught — ([add]t), adv. At all; in any degree. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • aught — aught·lins; aught; …   English syllables

  • aught — [o:t US o:t, a:t] pron [: Old English; Origin: awiht, from a ever + wiht creature, thing ] old use anything …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • aught — (also ought) ► PRONOUN archaic ▪ anything at all. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • aught — aught1 /awt/, n. 1. anything whatever; any part: for aught I know. adv. 2. Archaic. in any degree; at all; in any respect. Also, ought. [bef. 1000; ME aught, ought, OE aht, awiht, owiht, equiv. to a, o ever + wiht thing, WIGHT1] aught …   Universalium

  • aught — I or ought II [[t]ɔt[/t]] n. 1) anything whatever; any part: for aught I know[/ex] 2) archaic in any degree; at all; in any respect • Etymology: bef. 1000; ME; OE āht, āwiht, ōwiht=ā, ō ever +wiht thing, wight I II aught or ought III [[t]ɔt[/t]]… …   From formal English to slang

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