ought

UK /ɔːt/ US /ɔt/

verb 4noun 2pron 1adv 1

Collocations

ADJ.

adopted, better, obscene, tired

You ought to adopt a better attitude if you want people to respect you.

VERB + OUGHT

deriving, grown-up, look, think

You really ought to think about what you want to do with your life.

OUGHT + NOUN

twos

The two teams ought twos in the final set before one pulled ahead.

PREP.

from, in, in, on

You ought to focus on your studies if you want to pass the exam.

ADV.

always

You always ought to lock the door before leaving the house at night.

Definitions

verb

Indicating duty or obligation.

I ought to vote in the coming election.

Indicating advisability or prudence.

You ought to always stand back from the edge of the platform.

Do you think we ought to leave now?

Indicating desirability.

He ought to read the book; it was very good.

Indicating likelihood or probability.

We ought to arrive by noon if we take the motorway, shouldn't we?

My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.

pron

Alternative spelling of aught; anything

Is it a small benefit, that I am placed there […] where I see no drunken comessations, no rebellious routs, no violent oppressions, no obscene rejoicings, nor ought else that might either vex or affright my soul?

adv

Alternative spelling of aught; at all, to any degree.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

Example Bank

I ought to vote in the coming election.

Wiktionary

You ought to always stand back from the edge of the platform.

Wiktionary

Do you think we ought to leave now?

Wiktionary

There are value judgments that are not reducible to observable matters of fact, and there are oughts that cannot be construed as hypothetical and, therefore, cannot be converted into statements of fac

Wiktionary

Is there a fallacy involved in deriving an ought from a set of exclusively factual or descriptive premises?

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, ought is marked as dated, formal. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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