Word definition: might

Etimology


From 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.

noun


might (countable and uncountable, plural mights)

(countable, uncountable) Power, strength, force or influence held by a person or group.

(uncountable) Physical strength or force.

(uncountable) The ability to do something.

Examples


Synonyms: authority, potency; see also Thesaurus:power

[…] 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 grandeur or extended dominion. I want to be the president who educated young children to the wonders of their world.

Since every nation considers itself right, peace lies in balancing the military mights of the possible rivals.

Synonyms: brawn, fortitude, pith

He pushed with all his might, but still it would not move.

adjective


might (comparative mighter, superlative mightest)

(obsolete) Mighty; powerful.

(obsolete) Possible.

Etimology


From Old English meahte and mihte, inflections of magan, whence English may.

verb


might (third-person singular simple present might, no present participle, simple past might, no past participle)

(auxiliary) simple past of may

(auxiliary) Used to indicate conditional or possible actions.

(auxiliary) Used to admit something before making a more accurate or important statement.

(auxiliary) Used in polite requests for permission.

(auxiliary, UK, meiosis) Used to express certainty.

Examples


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.

The king and queen of Tahiti might not touch the ground anywhere but within their hereditary domains; for the ground on which they trod became sacred.

I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.

Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.

You might have warned me about the thunderstorm.

With 14 minutes gone Héctor Moreno might have scored, glancing a header too close to Neuer from a free-kick.

I might go to the 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 the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].

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.

Might I take the last biscuit?

Yeah, I think we might need something a bit sturdier.

Data provided by Wiktionary