aught

English

Pronunciation
  • (UK) enPR: ôt, IPA(key): /ɔːt/
  • Rhymes: -ɔːt
  • (US) enPR: ôt, IPA(key): /ɔt/
  • (cot–caught merger) enPR: ät, IPA(key): /ɑt/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Etymology 1

From Middle English aught, ought, from Old English āht, āwiht from ā (“always", "ever”) + wiht (“thing", "creature”). More at aye, wight.

Alternative forms

Pronoun

aught

  1. (archaic or dialectal) anything whatsoever, any part.

Adverb

aught (not comparable)

  1. (archaic) At all, in any degree, in any respect.

References
  • aught in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Etymology 2

Meaning of "zero" by confusion with naught. Used amongst those who were once called "non-U" speakers of English.

Noun

aught (plural aughts)

  1. whit, the smallest part, iota
  2. (archaic) zero
  3. The digit zero
  • as the decade in years (for example, aught-nine for 1909 or 2009)
  • in gun calibers (for example, thirty-aught-six for .30-06)
Usage notes

The use of aught and ought to mean "zero" is very much proscribed as the word aught originally meant the opposite of naught: "anything". This may be due to misanalysis, or may simply be the result of speakers confusing the meanings of aught and naught due to similar-sounding phonemes.

Translations
See also

Etymology 3

From Middle English aught (“estimation, regard, reputation”), from Old English æht (“estimation, consideration”), from Proto-West Germanic *ahtu. Cognate with Dutch acht (“attention, regard, heed”), German Acht (“attention, regard”). Also see ettle.

Noun

aught (uncountable)

  1. (regional) Estimation.
    In my aught.
  2. (regional) Of importance or consequence (in the phrase "of aught").
    An event of aught.
  3. (regional, rare, obsolete) Esteem, respect.
    A man of aught (a man of high esteem, an important or well-respected man).
    Show some aught to your elders, boy.
Usage notes

In the first sense, generally found in the phrase "in one's aught" as inː "In my aught, this play ain't worth the candle". In the second sense, generally found in the phrase "of aught" as inː "nothing of aught has happened since you've been away, Sir". In the third sense, generally found in the phrase "a man of aught", or rarely in the more archaic phrase "to show somebody or something (some) aught" as inː "show your mother some aught, son".

References

Etymology 4

From Middle English aught, ought, from Old English ǣht, from Proto-Germanic *aihtiz (“possessions, property”).

Alternative forms

Noun

aught (plural aughts)

  1. Property; possession
  2. Duty; place; office

Verb

aught (third-person singular simple present aughts, present participle aughting, simple past and past participle aughted)

  1. to own, possess
  2. to owe, be obliged or obligated to

Adjective

aught (comparative more aught, superlative most aught)

  1. possessed of

Etymology 5

From Middle English ahte, from Old English eahta (“eight”). More at eight.

Numeral

aught

  1. Obsolete or dialectal form of eight.

Anagrams

Yola

Etymology 1

From Middle English ought, from Old English āht, ōht, shortening of āwiht, ōwiht.

Alternative forms

Pronoun

aught

  1. any, anything
    • 1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY:
      Geeth hea aught?
      Doth he get any or anything?

References
  • Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, page 23

Etymology 2

From Middle English ahte.

Numeral

aught

  1. Alternative form of ayght (“eight”)
    Numbers: oan, twye, dhree, vowre, veeve, zeese, zeven, aught, ween, dhen.

References
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