Ought
As a Verb (Modal Auxiliary)
- Used to indicate duty, moral obligation, or correctness.
- Used to express advisability or expectation.
- Used to suggest probability or likelihood.
As Other Form
- Ought to (Phrase): A common construction used to express necessity, advisability, or expectation.
Word History
The word ought comes from the Old English ahte, which was the past tense of agan (to own or possess). Over time, its meaning shifted from possession to obligation and advisability, evolving into the modal verb we use today.
Examples
- You ought to apologize for your mistake.
- We ought to leave early to avoid traffic.
- This book ought to be helpful for your research.
Synonyms
Should, must, need to, supposed to, obligated to
Related Words
Duty, responsibility, expectation, necessity
Antonyms
Must not, need not, optional, unnecessary
