HOW TO PRONOUNCE
ought
/ɔt/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does ought mean?
verb
- Indicating duty or obligation.
- Indicating advisability or prudence.
- Indicating desirability.
More meanings (6)
verb
- Indicating likelihood or probability.
- (obsolete) simple past of owe
pronoun
- Alternative spelling of aught; anything
adverb
- Alternative spelling of aught; at all, to any degree.
noun
- A statement of what ought to be the case as contrasted with what is the case.
- Alternative spelling of aught; cipher, zero, nought.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ɔt/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
He came back, and there was a greedy look in his eyes now which ought to have alarmed her, but did not.
The tenure by which the judges are to hold their places, is, as it unquestionably ought to be, that of good behavior.
More book examples (3)
“We ought to reconnoitre now,” he said, “because if any come near they may hear the spades and drop upon us unawares.”
“But our friend the Woggle-Bug claims to be highly educated, so he ought easily to figure out how that can be done.”
The single design to strip one’s self of all past beliefs is one that ought not to be taken by every one.