What does the word might mean

I kind of agree with this, except dogs might *might* be an exception. ❋ Ann Althouse (2009)

I might — *might* — consider not buying the manga I’d never heard of before but looks oh-so interesting if I knew any of these were coming out that week: ❋ Unknown (2008)

I wrote about what might–and I emphasize the word *might*–be an indication that some small steps have actually been taken in my Blog-Against-Sexism-Day post. ❋ Unknown (2006)

For instance, I can think of one way the Republicans might, just *might*, retain control of both houses: if they impeach and convict Bush and Cheney themselves, before the next election. ❋ Unknown (2006)

Arizona because it suddenly occurred to me that the police might — just * might* — come and take away my computer. ❋ Sterling, Bruce (1992)

All at once the thought struck him that he himself might be the person accused, and the bare idea that such _might_ be the case sent the blood to his heart and a cold shudder through his frame. ❋ Alvin Addison (N/A)

It might go wrong with you — only _might_ — but I want, I must have, your consent. ❋ Unknown (N/A)

With reasonable care the thing might be done almost with impunity — though there was never wanting, of course, the not entirely unpleasurable excitement of knowing that you were breaking the law, that somebody _might_ have turned informer, and that at any moment a raid might be made. ❋ Jeanie Lang (N/A)

I have to study for ages and ages, and, you know, something might, _might_ happen to me. ❋ Pemberton Ginther (N/A)

Christ died in order that men might _not_ die, but exactly for this very purpose, that they _might_ die; and this death he represents in the next verse by an equivalent expression — the life of unselfishness: ❋ Frederick W. Robertson (N/A)

It might rain tomorrow, and ‘sides, it _might_ take us more’n ❋ Ruth Alberta Brown (N/A)

If a woman might not do this, what, in heaven’s name, _might_ she do? ❋ Mona Caird (N/A)

At any rate, she was resolved to leave no point uncovered that might, just possibly _might_, help her Allan just a little way to interest in life, which she felt to be the way to recovery. ❋ Margaret Widdemer (1931)

It was three in the afternoon before Oliver walked into the Hotel Rosario again and when he did it was with the feeling that the house detective might come up at any moment, touch him quietly on the shoulder and remark that his bag _might_ be sent down to the station after him if he paid his bill and left quietly and at once. ❋ Stephen Vincent Ben��t (1920)

But for this very reason he might, he just _might_, try to find out all about it, and that would mean that Paddy would have to be always on the watch. ❋ Harrison [Illustrator] Cody (1919)

She might be selling books upon the instalment plan: she might be peddling skin-food warranted to restore their weather-beaten complexions to the texture of a baby’s: she _might_ be a new inmate for the dance hall. ❋ Caroline Lockhart (1916)

I might, I don’t say it flat, — I want to consider, — but I _might_ extend them to Princeton. ❋ Owen Johnson (1915)

You might get off, and then again you _might not_. ❋ Charles Caldwell Dobie (1912)

Oddly enough, it seems as if it might — there’s just the off-chance — it _might_ affect the issue. ‘ ❋ Elizabeth Robins (1907)

Earth to-day, and of what this Earth will become and of what it might become; and possibly _also_ of greater things which have already been realised, or _will_ be realised and _might_ be realised in the planets of other suns than our Sun. ❋ Francis Edward Younghusband (1902)

[Lifting] [that much] weight shows us his great might.
it might [rain]. ❋ DjDave71 (2008)

You might be able to [skate] [the gap].
‘You can’t skate the gap.’
You might be good.
«You’re [not good].’ ❋ Steve Steve Steve (2006)

If you’re [allergic to] dogs, veterinary [receptionist] might not be the best job for you.
You might make sure you know her name sometime before jumping into bed.
Too bad your car died! Next time a [check engine light] comes on you might want to have someone check the engine, huh? ❋ Miss Elis (2008)

[Might might not] [go] [grocery shopping] today. ❋ TKBluffs (2017)

[Yo] [might]! [‘sup]? ❋ Lord Tywin (2013)

You can [lick] my [might], because there «[MIGHT]» be [shit on it], or there «MIGHT» not. ❋ PKnoice (2008)

“Oh I [might] play [stardew] again [tomorrow].” ❋ SaintJami (2020)

Girl: [I want that] [CD].
Boy: You «Might» Not.
Girl: I «Might»
Boy: But [ya Might] not…
ANNOYING! ❋ Bella353535 (2011)

It’s called [the Might] because, it might [clean] or it [might be] dirty! ❋ Al Rodriguez (2017)

I [might be] [crippled] ❋ Fat Dick Dave (2020)

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• mite (eye dialect, informal)

Pronunciation[edit]

• enPR: mīt, IPA^(key): /maɪt/
• Homophone: mite
• Rhymes: -aɪt

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English myght, might (also maught, macht, maht), from Old English miht, mieht, meaht, mæht (“might, bodily strength, power, authority, ability, virtue, mighty work, miracle, angel”), from Proto-West Germanic *mahti, from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz, *mahtuz (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *mógʰtis, *megʰ- (“to allow, be able, help”), corresponding to Germanic *maganą + *-þiz. Equivalent to may +‎ -th.

Cognate with Scots micht, maucht (“might”), North Frisian macht (“might, ability”), West Frisian macht (“might, ability”), Dutch macht (“might, power”), German Macht (“power, might”), Swedish makt (“might”), Norwegian makt (“power”), Icelandic máttur (“might”), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃 (mahts). See more at may.

Noun[edit]

might (countable and uncountable, plural mights)

1. (countable, uncountable) Power, strength, force or influence held by a person or group.

   • 1549 March 7​, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, “The Introites, Collectes, Epiſtles and Goſpelles, to be uſed at the celebꝛacion of the loꝛdes Supper, & holy Communion, thꝛough the yere, with pꝛoper Pſalmes and Leſſons, for diuers feaſtes and dayes”, in The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], London: […] Edowardi Whitchurche […], →OCLC, folio xcvii, recto:

     […] ſtrengthed with all myght, thꝛough his gloꝛious power, unto all pacience and long ſufferyng with ioifulneſſe […]

   • 1965 March 15, Johnson, Lyndon B., Special Message to the Congress: The American Promise [on the Voting Rights Act], 3/15/65. MP506.‎^[1], Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, 43:30 from the start:

     This is the richest, the most powerful country which ever occupied this globe. The might of past empires is little compared to ours. But I do not want to be the president who built empires or sought grandeur or extended dominion. I want to be the president who educated young children to the wonders of their world.

   • 1969, {unattributed}, Journal of the United Service Institution of India, Volume 99

     «Since every nation considers itself right, peace lies in balancing the military mights of the possible rivals.»

2. (uncountable) Physical strength or force.

   He pushed with all his might, but still it would not move.

3. (uncountable) The ability to do something.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Adjective[edit]

might (comparative mighter, superlative mightest)

1. (obsolete) Mighty; powerful.
2. (obsolete) Possible.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Old English meahte and mihte, from magan, whence English may.

Verb[edit]

might (third-person singular simple present might, no present participle, simple past might, no past participle)

1. (auxiliary) Used to indicate conditional or possible actions.

   I might go to the party, but I haven’t decided yet.

   • 1608, Joseph Hall, Characters of Virtues and Vices

     The characterism of an honest man: He looks not to what he might do, but what he should.

   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

     “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; […]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

   • 2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:

     It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].

2. (auxiliary) simple past tense of may Used to indicate permission in past tense.

   He asked me if he might go to the party, but I haven’t decided yet.

   • 1922, James Frazer, The Golden Bough, Chapter 60:

     The king and queen of Tahiti might not touch the ground anywhere but within their hereditary domains; for the ground on which they trod became sacred.

3. (auxiliary) simple past tense of may Used to indicate possibility in past tense.

   I thought that I might go the next day.

   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients:

     I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal’lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess‎^[2]:

     Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman’s helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.

4. Used to indicate a desired past action that was not done.

   Hey man, you might have warned me about the thunderstorm.

   • 2018 June 17, Barney Ronay, “Mexico’s Hirving Lozano stuns world champions Germany for brilliant win”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[3], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 5 August 2019:

     With 14 minutes gone Héctor Moreno might have scored, glancing a header too close to Neuer from a free-kick.

5. (auxiliary) Even though.

   I might be in a wheelchair, but I still want to be treated as a lady.

   • 2016, Candy Sloan, Wrong Bed Reunion:

     I might play football, but I do know how to read.

6. (auxiliary) Used in polite requests for permission

   Might I take the last biscuit?

7. (auxiliary, UK, meiosis) Used to express certainty.

   Yeah, I think we might need something a bit sturdier.

Usage notes[edit]

For many speakers, the use as the past tense of the auxiliary may, indicating permission, is obsolete: I told him he might not see her will only be interpreted as «I told him he would possibly not see her,» and not as «I told him he was not allowed to see her.» For the latter case, «could not» or «was/were not allowed to,» «was/were forbidden to,» etc., will be used instead.

Conjugation[edit]

• archaic second-person singular simple past — mightest
• nonstandard, archaic third-person singular simple past — mighteth

Alternative forms[edit]

• mought (obsolete outside US dialects)
• mout (US regional pronunciation spelling)

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• could
• Appendix:English modal verbs
• Appendix:English tag questions

References[edit]

• might at OneLook Dictionary Search

мощь, сила, могущество, энергия, может быть, можно

вспомогательный глагол ↓

существительное ↓

В выражениях, идиомах и прочем

as well one might — поделом  
he cried as well he might — он плакал и поделом /так ему и надо/  
as the case might be — смотря по обстоятельствам  
all might — всемогущество  
it might be — возможно  
might yet — авось  
one might as well — впору  

Примеры с переводом

Однокоренные слова

mightily  — сильно, мощно, чрезвычайно, очень
mightiness  — величие, мощность
mighty  — могущественный, мощный, громадный, очень, чрезвычайно