might
Forms
- Plural
- mights
- present (v1)
- might
- past (v2)
- might
- 3rd person singular
- might
Definitions
1.Power, strength, force, or influence held by a person or group.
- Since every nation considers itself right, peace lies in balancing the military mights of the possible rivals.
2.Physical strength or force.
- He pushed with all his might, but still it would not move.
3.The ability to do something.
- I thought you might want to watch this.
- The football game might be called off on account of rain.
1.simple past of may
- I thought that I might go the next day.
- You might have warned me about the thunderstorm.
- Let's finish this task so that we might go home asap.
2.Used to indicate conditional or possible actions; would perhaps/maybe.
- Well, I might go to a 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.
3.Used concessively to admit something before making a more accurate or important statement; although
- I might play football, but I do know how to read.
- I might be in a wheelchair, but I still want to be treated as a lady.
4.Used in polite requests for permission.
- "Might I take the last biscuit? I wonder if I might have a little more coffee too." "Yes you may, help yourself.".
Frequency
Overall
Very common· #182
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Common
- General reading & writing
- Very common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Common
Related words
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English maught, might, miȝt, myght, from Old English maht, meaht, meht, mieht, miht, mæht (“ability, power; strength; virtue”), from Proto-West Germanic *mahti, from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz (“ability, power; force, strength”), from Proto-Indo-European *(me)mógʰe (“to be able to, to have power”), from *megʰ- (“to be able”), corresponding to Germanic *maganą (“to be able, may”) + *-þiz. Equivalent to may + -th.