How Do You Spell OUGHT?

Pronunciation: [ˈɔːt] (IPA)

The word "ought" is often misspelled, as it is only pronounced with the sound /ɔːt/. In IPA phonetic transcription, this means that "ough" is pronounced as "awt". Despite its common misinterpretation, "ought" is actually a regular English word that means "should" or "must". It is often used in phrases such as "you ought to know" or "it ought to be done". As such, it is important to remember its spelling and pronunciation to avoid confusion in written and spoken communication.

Meaning and Definition
Top Common Misspellings
Other Common Misspellings
Etymology
Idioms
Similar spelling words
Plural
Conjugate verb
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OUGHT Meaning and Definition

  1. The term "ought" is a modal auxiliary verb commonly used to indicate a duty, obligation or moral compulsion to perform a certain action. It represents a judgment or belief about what is morally right or proper, rather than describing what is actually happening in reality.

    Used as an auxiliary verb, "ought" is often followed by the base form of a verb, similar to "should." For example, one might say, "You ought to study for the exam." This suggests that it is the person's moral duty or obligation to study.

    Additionally, "ought" can be utilized to give advice, make recommendations, or express expectations. For instance, "We ought to arrive early to the meeting" implies a suggestion or expectation that arriving early is the proper course of action.

    Furthermore, "ought" can be used to express a desirable state or outcome. For example, "He ought to be proud of his accomplishments" suggests that it is appropriate or fitting for someone to feel pride in their achievements.

    In summary, "ought" is a modal auxiliary verb that conveys duty, obligation, moral compulsion, advice, suggestions, expectations, or desirable outcomes. It reflects subjective judgment rather than objective reality and is often used to express what is considered proper or appropriate behavior.

  2. • Anything.
    • Anything; a tittle or jot.
    • A defective verb, formerly the pt. of owe; to be bound in duty or moral obligation.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for OUGHT *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for OUGHT

Etymology of OUGHT

The word "ought" has its origins in Old English. It is derived from the Old English word "āhte" (pronounced "aw-htuh"), which meant "to possess" or "to have a duty to". Over time, this word underwent changes in pronunciation and spelling, eventually evolving into "ought" in Modern English. The original sense of obligation or duty linked to the word is still present in its usage today.

Idioms with the word OUGHT

  • no better than (one) ought to be The idiom "no better than (one) ought to be" means that someone's behavior, actions, or qualities fall short of what is expected or appropriate for them. It implies that the person is not living up to the standard of behavior or moral conduct that they should adhere to.
  • There ought to be a law! The idiom "There ought to be a law!" is used to express dissatisfaction or frustration with a particular situation or behavior, implying that a new law or regulation should be implemented to address the issue at hand. It suggests that the existing laws or regulations are insufficient in resolving the problem.

Similar spelling words for OUGHT

Plural form of OUGHT is OUGHTS

Conjugate verb Ought

CONDITIONAL

I would ought
you would ought
he/she/it would ought
we would ought
they would ought

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

I would be oughting
you would be oughting
he/she/it would be oughting
we would be oughting
they would be oughting

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have ought
you would have ought
he/she/it would have ought
we would have ought
they would have ought

CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I would have been oughting
you would have been oughting
he/she/it would have been oughting
we would have been oughting
they would have been oughting

FUTURE

I will ought
you will ought
he/she/it will ought
we will ought
they will ought

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be oughting
you will be oughting
he/she/it will be oughting
we will be oughting
they will be oughting

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have oughted
you will have oughted
he/she/it will have oughted
we will have oughted
they will have oughted

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been oughting
you will have been oughting
he/she/it will have been oughting
we will have been oughting
they will have been oughting

IMPERATIVE

you ought
we let´s ought

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to ought

PAST

I oughted
you oughted
he/she/it oughted
we oughted
they oughted

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was oughting
you were oughting
he/she/it was oughting
we were oughting
they were oughting

PAST PARTICIPLE

ought
oughted

PAST PERFECT

I had oughted
you had oughted
he/she/it had oughted
we had oughted
they had oughted

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been oughting
you had been oughting
he/she/it had been oughting
we had been oughting
they had been oughting

PRESENT

I ought
you ought
he/she/it ought
we ought
they ought
he/she/it oughts

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I
you
he/she/it
we
they
I am oughting
you are oughting
he/she/it is oughting
we are oughting
they are oughting

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

oughting

PRESENT PERFECT

I have oughted
you have oughted
he/she/it has oughted
we have oughted
they have oughted

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been oughting
you have been oughting
he/she/it has been oughting
we have been oughting
they have been oughting

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Correct spelling for ought
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