Adjacent Words

Might definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MIGHT, n. pret. of may. Had power or liberty. He might go, or might have gone.
1. It sometimes denotes was possible, implying ignorance of the fact in the speaker. Orders might have been given for the purpose.
MIGHT, n.
1. Strength; force; power; primarily and chiefly, bodily strength or physical power; as, to work or strive with all one's might.
There small be no might in thy hand. Deutoronomy 28.
2. Political power or great achievements.
The acts of David--with all his reign and his might.
1 Chronicles 29. l Kings 15.
3. National strength; physical power or military force.
We have no might against this great company that cometh against us. 2 Chronicles 20.
4. Valor with bodily strength; military prowess; as men of might. 1 Chronicles 12.
5. Ability; strength or application of means.
I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God--1 Chronicles 29.
6. Strength or force of purpose.
Like him was no king that turned to the Lord with all his might. 2 Kings 23.
7. Strength of affection.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul,and with all thy might. Deutoronomy 6.
8. Strength of light; splendor; effulgence.
Let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. Judges 5.
Shakespeare applied the word to an oath. "An oath of mickle might." This application is obsolete. We now use strength or force; as the strength or force of an oath or covenant.
With might and main, with the utmost strength or bodily exertion; a tautological phrase, as both words are from the same root, and mean the same thing.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: physical strength [syn: might, mightiness, power]

Merriam Webster's

I. verbal auxiliary, past of may Etymology: Middle English, from Old English meahte, mihte; akin to Old High German mahta, mohta could Date: before 12th century — used in auxiliary function to express permission, liberty, probability, possibility in the past <the president might do nothing without the board's consent> or a present condition contrary to fact <if you were older you might understand> or less probability or possibility than may <might get there before it rains> or as a polite alternative to may <might I ask who is calling> or to ought or should <you might at least apologize> II. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English miht; akin to Old High German maht might, magan to be able — more at may Date: before 12th century 1. a. the power, authority, or resources wielded (as by an individual or group) b. (1) bodily strength (2) the power, energy, or intensity of which one is capable <striving with might and main> 2. dialect a great deal Synonyms: see power

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. past of MAY, used esp.: 1 in reported speech, expressing possibility (said he might come) or permission (asked if I might leave) (cf. MAY 1, 2). 2 (foll. by perfect infin.) expressing a possibility based on a condition not fulfilled (if you'd looked you might have found it; but for the radio we might not have known). 3 (foll. by present infin. or perfect infin.) expressing complaint that an obligation or expectation is not or has not been fulfilled (he might offer to help; they might have asked; you might have known they wouldn't come). 4 expressing a request (you might call in at the butcher's). 5 colloq. a = MAY 1 (it might be true). b (in tentative questions) = MAY 2 (might I have the pleasure of this dance?). c = MAY 4 (who might you be?). Phrases and idioms: might as well expressing that it is probably at least as desirable to do a thing as not to do it (finished the work and decided they might as well go to lunch; won't win but might as well try). might-have-been colloq. 1 a past possibility that no longer applies. 2 a person who could have been more eminent. 2. n. 1 great bodily or mental strength. 2 power to enforce one's will (usu. in contrast with right). Phrases and idioms: with all one's might to the utmost of one's power. with might and main see MAIN(1). Etymology: OE miht, mieht f. Gmc, rel. to MAY(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

May May, v. [imp. Might] [AS. pres. m[ae]g I am able, pret. meahte, mihte; akin to D. mogen, G. m["o]gen, OHG. mugan, magan, Icel. mega, Goth. magan, Russ. moche. ?. Cf. Dismay, Main strength, Might. The old imp. mought is obsolete, except as a provincial word.] An auxiliary verb qualifyng the meaning of another verb, by expressing: (a) Ability, competency, or possibility; -- now oftener expressed by can. How may a man, said he, with idle speech, Be won to spoil the castle of his health ! --Spenser. For what he [the king] may do is of two kinds; what he may do as just, and what he may do as possible. --Bacon. For of all sad words of tongue or pen The saddest are these: ``It might have been.'' --Whittier. (b) Liberty; permission; allowance. Thou mayst be no longer steward. --Luke xvi. 2. (c) Contingency or liability; possibility or probability. Though what he learns he speaks, and may advance Some general maxims, or be right by chance. --Pope. (d) Modesty, courtesy, or concession, or a desire to soften a question or remark. How old may Phillis be, you ask. --Prior. (e) Desire or wish, as in prayer, imprecation, benediction, and the like. ``May you live happily.'' --Dryden. May be, & It may be, are used as equivalent to possibly, perhaps, by chance, peradventure. See 1st Maybe.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

I. MODAL USES Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. Note: 'Might' is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb. Please look at category 13 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword. 1. You use might to indicate that something will possibly happen or be true in the future, but you cannot be certain. Smoking might be banned totally in most buildings... I might well regret it later... He said he might not be back until tonight. = may MODAL [vagueness] 2. You use might to indicate that there is a possibility that something is true, but you cannot be certain. She and Simon's father had not given up hope that he might be alive... You might be right... = may MODAL [vagueness] 3. You use might to indicate that something could happen or be true in particular circumstances. America might sell more cars to the islands if they were made with the steering wheel on the right. ...the type of person who might appear in a fashion magazine. = could MODAL [vagueness] 4. You use might have with a past participle to indicate that it is possible that something happened or was true, or when giving a possible explanation for something. I heard what might have been an explosion... She thought the shooting might have been an accident... = could have MODAL 5. You use might have with a past participle to indicate that something was a possibility in the past, although it did not actually happen. Had the bomb dropped over a populated area of the city, there might have been a great deal of damage... MODAL 6. You use might in statements where you are accepting the truth of a situation, but contrasting it with something that is more important. They might not have two cents to rub together, but at least they have a kind of lifestyle that is different. = may MODAL 7. You use might when you are saying emphatically that someone ought to do the thing mentioned, especially when you are annoyed because they have not done it. You might have told me that before! = could MODAL [emphasis] 8. You use might to make a suggestion or to give advice in a very polite way. They might be wise to stop advertising on television... You might try the gas station down the street... MODAL [politeness] 9. You use might as a polite way of interrupting someone, asking a question, making a request, or introducing what you are going to say next. (FORMAL, SPOKEN) Might I make a suggestion?... Might I draw your readers' attention to the dangers in the Government's proposal. = could MODAL [politeness] 10. You use might in expressions such as as you might expect and as you might imagine in order to indicate that the statement you are making is not surprising. 'How's Jan?' she asked.—'Bad. As you might expect.'... The drivers, as you might imagine, didn't care much for that. = would MODAL 11. You use might in expressions such as I might add and I might say in order to emphasize a statement that you are making. It didn't come as a great surprise to me, I might say. MODAL [emphasis] 12. You use might in expressions such as I might have known and I might have guessed to indicate that you are not surprised at a disappointing event or fact. 'I detest clutter, you know.'—'I didn't know, but I might have guessed.' = should MODAL 13. might as well: see well II. NOUN USES 1. Might is power or strength. (FORMAL) The might of the army could prove a decisive factor. = strength N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp 2. If you do something with all your might, you do it using all your strength and energy. She swung the hammer at his head with all her might. PHRASE: PHR with v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Power, strength, puissance, force, main, potency, efficacy, ability, efficiency.

Moby Thesaurus

adequacy, amperage, ampleness, amplitude, arm, armipotence, ascendancy, authoritativeness, authority, beef, black power, boundlessness, brawn, brute force, bulk, capability, capacity, charge, charisma, clout, cogence, cogency, command, competence, compulsion, control, decisiveness, dint, domination, dominion, drive, duress, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, endurance, energy, enormity, enormousness, expanse, flower power, force, force majeure, forcefulness, formidableness, fortitude, full blast, full force, fullness, gigantism, grandeur, grandness, great scope, greatness, guts, gutsiness, hardiness, heartiness, hugeness, immensity, infinity, influence, intensity, intestinal fortitude, jurisdiction, largeness, lustihood, lustiness, magisterialness, magnitude, main force, main strength, mana, mastery, might and main, mightiness, moxie, muchness, muscle, muscle power, obstinacy, pizzazz, plenitude, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, prepotency, prodigiousness, productiveness, productivity, puissance, pull, punch, push, qualification, robustness, ruggedness, sinew, stalwartness, stamina, staying power, steam, sticking power, stoutness, strength, strength of will, strenuousness, strings, strong arm, stupendousness, sturdiness, superiority, superpower, sway, thew, toughness, tremendousness, validity, vastness, vehemence, vigor, vigorousness, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, wattage, weight