ought
UK: ɔːt | US: ɔːt
modal v. used to indicate duty, advisability, or moral obligation
modal v. used to express logical expectation or natural consequence
No data yet.
"Ought" originates from Old English āhte, the past tense of āgan ("to own, owe"), reflecting a shift from possession to obligation. By Middle English, it evolved into a standalone modal verb expressing duty or likelihood, detached from its original verb form. This semantic shift parallels Germanic languages, where words for "owe" often develop moral or logical connotations.
You ought to apologize for your mistake.
If the train is on time, it ought to arrive by noon.
They ought to know better at their age.
There ought to be stricter laws about pollution.
He ought to have studied harder for the exam.