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might

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might

1[mahyt]
–auxiliary verb
1. pt. of may 1 .
2. (used to express possibility): They might be at the station.
3. (used to express advisability): You might at least thank me.
4. (used in polite requests for permission): Might I speak to you for a moment?

might

2[mahyt]
–noun
1. physical strength: He swung with all his might.
2. superior power or strength; force: the theory that might makes right.
3. power or ability to do or accomplish; capacity: the might of the ballot box.
4. with might and main, with all the vigor, force, or energy at one's command: They pulled with might and main.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME myghte, OE miht, meaht; c. G macht, Goth mahts; akin to may 1


mightless, adjective


1–3. See strength.


1–3. weakness.

may

1[mey]
–auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person may, 2nd may or (Archaic) may⋅est or mayst, 3rd may; present plural may; past might.
1. (used to express possibility): It may rain.
2. (used to express opportunity or permission): You may enter.
3. (used to express contingency, esp. in clauses indicating condition, concession, purpose, result, etc.): I may be wrong but I think you would be wise to go. Times may change but human nature stays the same.
4. (used to express wish or prayer): May you live to an old age.
5. Archaic. (used to express ability or power.)
Compare might 1 .


Origin:
bef. 900; ME mai 1st and 3rd pers. sing. pres. ind. of mouen, OE mæg (inf. magan); c. G mögen


See can 1 .
may 1   (mā)   
aux.v.   Past tense might (mīt)
  1. To be allowed or permitted to: May I take a swim? Yes, you may.
  2. Used to indicate a certain measure of likelihood or possibility: It may rain this afternoon.
  3. Used to express a desire or fervent wish: Long may he live!
  4. Used to express contingency, purpose, or result in clauses introduced by that or so that: expressing ideas so that the average person may understand.
  5. To be obliged; must. Used in statutes, deeds, and other legal documents. See Usage Note at can1.

[Middle English, to be able, from Old English mæg, first and third person sing. of magan, to be strong, be able; see magh- in Indo-European roots.]
might 1   (mīt)   
n.  
  1. The power, force, or influence held by a person or group.
  2. Physical strength.
  3. Strength or ability to do something. See Synonyms at strength. See Regional Note at powerful.

[Middle English, from Old English meaht, miht; see magh- in Indo-European roots.]
might 2   (mīt)   
aux.v.   Past tense of may
    1. Used to indicate a condition or state contrary to fact: She might help if she knew the truth.
    2. Used to indicate a possibility or probability that is weaker than may: We might discover a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
  1. Used to express possibility or probability or permission in the past: She told him yesterday he might not go on the trip.
  2. Used to express a higher degree of deference or politeness than may, ought, or should: Might I express my opinion?

[Middle English, from Old English meahte, mihte, first and third person sing. past tense of magan, to be able; see may1.]
Our Living Language  : In many Southern U.S. varieties of English, might can be paired with other auxiliary verbs such as could, as in We might could park over there. Words like might and could are known as modals, since they express certain "moods" (for example, I might go indicates an uncertain mood on the part of the speaker). Combinations such as might could, might would, and might can are known as double modals. Other less common combinations include may can, may will, and might should. Since double modals typically begin with may or might, they lessen the degree of conviction or certainty (much like the word possibly) more than a single modal does. Double modals are used, for example, to minimize the force of what one is saying, as when asking someone for a favor or when indicating displeasure. · Although double modals may sound odd outside of the South, they carry little if any social stigma within the South and are used by speakers of all social classes and educational levels—even in formal instances like political addresses. Like many features of Southern varieties of English, the use of double modals is probably due to the fact that many of the first English speakers in the South were Scotch-Irish, whose speech made use of double modals. This feature has been noted as far back as the Middle English period, but today's most common forms were not used to any great extent until the mid-18th century. They are surprisingly rare in dialect fiction but do occasionally occur, as in Old Yeller by Fred Gipson: "Jumper's liable to throw a fit with that hide rattling along behind him, and you might not can hold him by yourself."

Might

Might\, imp. of May. [AS. meahte, mihte.]

Might

Might\, n. [AS. meaht, miht, from the root of magan to be able, E. may; akin to D. magt, OS. maht, G. macht, Icel. m[=a]ttr, Goth. mahts. ????. See May, v.] Force or power of any kind, whether of body or mind; energy or intensity of purpose, feeling, or action; means or resources to effect an object; strength; force; power; ability; capacity.

What so strong, But wanting rest, will also want of might? --Spenser.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. --Deut. vi. 5.

With might and main. See under 2d Main.
Language Translation for : might
Spanish: poder, ser posible quepoderpoder, ser posible que,
German: pt. of may:können,
Japanese: mayの過去形

might  (v.)
O.E. mihte, meahte, originally the past tense of may (O.E. magen "to be able"), thus "*may-ed." See may (v.). The first record of might-have-been is from 1848.

might  (n.)
O.E. miht, earlier mæht, from P.Gmc. *makhtuz (cf. O.N. mattr, O.Fris., M.Du. macht, Ger. Macht, Goth. mahts), from PIE base *mag- "be able, have power" (see may (v.)). Mighty (adj.) is from O.E. mihtig, earlier mæhtig, from miht. As an adverb, it is attested from c.1300, though now considered colloquial.
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