View source for might

==English==
{{wikipedia}}

===Alternative forms===
* {{l|en|mite}} (''eye dialect, informal'')

===Pronunciation===
* {{enPR|mīt}}, {{IPA|en|/maɪt/}}
* {{audio|en|en-us-might.ogg|a=US}}
* {{homophones|en|mite}}
* {{rhymes|en|aɪt|s=1}}

===Etymology 1===
{{root|en|ine-pro|*megʰ-}}
From {{inh|en|enm|myght}}, {{m|enm|might}} (also {{m|enm|maught}}, {{m|enm|macht}}, {{m|enm|maht}}), from {{inh|en|ang|miht}}, {{m|ang|mieht}}, {{m|ang|meaht}}, {{m|ang|mæht||might, bodily strength, power, authority, ability, virtue, mighty work, miracle, angel}}, from {{inh|en|gmw-pro|*mahti}}, from {{inh|en|gem-pro|*mahtiz}}, {{m|gem-pro|*mahtuz||might, power}}, from {{inh|en|ine-pro|*mógʰtis}}, {{m|ine-pro|*megʰ-||to allow, be able, help}}, corresponding to Germanic {{m|gem-pro|*maganą}} + {{m|gem-pro|*-þiz}}. Equivalent to {{m|en|may}} {{suf|en||-th|nocat=1}}.

Cognate with {{cog|sco|micht}}, {{m|sco|maucht||might}}, {{cog|frr|macht||might, ability}}, {{cog|fy|macht||might, ability}}, {{cog|nl|macht||might, power}}, {{cog|de|Macht||power, might}}, {{cog|sv|makt||might}}, {{cog|no|makt||power}}, {{cog|is|máttur||might}}, {{cog|got|𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃}}, and further to {{cog|ru|мочь||power, might}} and {{m|ru|мощь||force, strength}}, {{cog|uk|міч}} and {{m|uk|міць||power}}, {{cog|bg|мощ||power, might}}, {{cog|sh|moć||power}}, {{cog|cs|moc||power}}, {{cog|pl|moc||power}}. See more at {{l|en|may}}.

====Noun====
{{en-noun|~}}

# {{lb|en|countable|uncountable}} [[power|Power]], [[strength]], [[force]] or [[influence]] held by a [[person]] or [[group]].
#: {{synonyms|en|authority|potency|Thesaurus:power}}
#* {{RQ:Book of Common Prayer|chapter=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|folio=xcvii|passage={{...}}ſtrengthed with all '''myght''', thꝛough his gloꝛious power, unto all pacience and long ſufferyng with ioifulneſſe{{...}}}}
#* {{quote-av|en|date=March 15, 1965|author=w:Lyndon B. Johnson|title=Special Message to the Congress: The American Promise [on the Voting Rights Act], 3/15/65. MP506.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvPhiuGZ6I|publisher=w:Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum|time=43:30|text=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.}}
#* {{quote-book|en|year=1969|author=''[unattributed]''|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4pI8AQAAIAAJ|title=Journal of the United Service Institution of India|volume=99|page=115|passage=Since every nation considers itself right, peace lies in balancing the military '''mights''' of the possible rivals.}}
# {{lb|en|uncountable}} [[physical|Physical]] strength or force.
#: {{synonyms|en|brawn|fortitude|pith}}
#: {{ux|en|He pushed with all his '''might''', but still it would not move.}}
# {{lb|en|uncountable}} The [[ability]] to do something.

=====Derived terms=====
{{der4
|en|mighteous
|mightful
|mightiness
|mightless
|mighty
|unmight
|might and main|might is right|might makes right|with all one's might}}

=====Translations=====
{{trans-top|personal power}}
* Arabic: {{t+|ar|قُوَّة|f}}
* Armenian: {{t+|hy|զորություն}}, {{t+|hy|հզորություն}}
* Azerbaijani: {{t+|az|qüdrət}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|мощ|f}}, {{t+|bg|могъщество|n}}
* Czech: {{t+|cs|moc|f}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|macht|f}}
* Egyptian: {{t-egy|wsrw|h=wsr-s-r-w-A24-Z2}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|mahti}}, {{t+|fi|voima}}
* French: {{t+|fr|pouvoir|m}}, {{t+|fr|puissance|f}}
* Georgian: {{t|ka|სიძლიერე}}
* German: {{t+|de|Macht|f}}
* Gothic: {{t|got|𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃|f}}
* Greek:
*: Ancient: {{t|grc|κράτος|n}}, {{t|grc|δύναμις|f}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|hatalom}}
* Italian: {{t+|it|potere|m}}
* Korean: {{t+|ko|위력(威力)}}
* Latin: {{t+|la|potestas|f}}, {{t|la|potentia|f}}
* Macedonian: {{t|mk|моќ|f}}
* Occitan: {{t+|oc|poténcia|f}}, {{t+|oc|poder|m}}
* Old English: {{t|ang|afol}}
* Ottoman Turkish: {{t|ota|قوت|tr=kuvvet}}, {{t|ota|مكنت|tr=miknet}}
* Plautdietsch: {{t|pdt|Macht|f}}
* Polish: {{t+|pl|potęga|f}}, {{t+|pl|moc|f}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|potência|f}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|мощь|f}}, {{t+|ru|могу́щество|n}}
* Scots: {{t|sco|micht}}
* Scottish Gaelic: {{t|gd|cumhachd|m|f}}
* Slovene: {{t+|sl|moč|f}}, {{t|sl|mogota|f}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|potestad}}, {{t+|es|potencia}}, {{t+|es|poder}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|makt|c}}
* Tocharian B: {{t|txb|maiyyo}}
* Turkish: {{t+|tr|güç}}
* Ugaritic: {{t|uga|𐎓𐎇}}
* Ukrainian: {{t+|uk|міць}}, {{t|uk|могу́тність}}
{{trans-bottom}}

{{trans-top|physical strength}}
* Armenian: {{t+|hy|ուժ}}
* Azerbaijani: {{t+|az|güc}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|сила|f}}
* Czech: {{t+|cs|síla|f}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|kracht}}, {{t+|nl|macht|f}}
* Egyptian: {{t-egy|pḥtj|h=pH:t*y-F9-F9}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|voima}}
* French: {{t+|fr|force}}
* Georgian: {{t|ka|ძალა}}
* German: {{t+|de|Kraft|f}}
* Gothic: {{t|got|𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃|f}}
* Greek:
*: Ancient: {{t|grc|σθένος|n}}, {{t|grc|ἰσχύς|f}}, {{t|grc|ῥώμη|f}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|erő}}
* Italian: {{t+|it|forza|f}}
* Latin: {{t|la|potentia|f}}, {{t+|la|vis}}
* Macedonian: {{t|mk|си́ла|f}}
* Occitan: {{t+|oc|fòrça|f}}, {{t+|oc|poténcia|f}}
* Old English: {{t|ang|afol}}
* Ottoman Turkish: {{t|ota|قوت|tr=kuvvet}}, {{t|ota|مكنت|tr=miknet}}, {{t|ota|طاقت|tr=takat}}
* Plautdietsch: {{t|pdt|Macht|f}}
* Polish: {{t+|pl|siła|f}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|força|f}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|си́ла}}
* Slovene: {{t+|sl|moč|f}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|potencia}}, {{t+|es|fuerza}}, {{t+|es|vis}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|kraft|c}}, {{t+|sv|styrka|c}}
* Tocharian B: {{t|txb|maiyyo}}
* Turkish: {{t+|tr|kuvvet}}
{{trans-bottom}}

{{trans-top|ability}}
* Armenian: {{t+|hy|կարողություն}}
* Azerbaijani: {{t+|az|qüvvət}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|способност|f}}
* Czech: {{t|cs|zdatnost|f}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|vermogen}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|kyky}}, {{t+|fi|voima}}
* German: {{t+|de|Macht|f}}, {{t+|de|Vermögen|n}}
* Gothic: {{t|got|𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃|f}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|erő}}
* Latin: {{t+|la|potestas|f}}, {{t|la|potentia|f}}
* Macedonian: {{t|mk|мо́жност|f}}
* Occitan: {{t+|oc|poder|m}}
* Plautdietsch: {{t|pdt|Macht|f}}
* Polish: {{t+|pl|zdolność|f}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|возмо́жность}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|förmåga|c}}, {{t+|sv|makt|c}}
* Turkish: {{t+|tr|güç}}, {{t+|tr|kuvvet}}
{{trans-bottom}}

{{checktrans-top}}
* Spanish: {{t+check|es|poder}}, {{t+check|es|fuerza}}
{{trans-bottom}}

====Adjective====
{{en-adj|er}}

# {{lb|en|obsolete}} [[mighty|Mighty]]; [[powerful]].
# {{lb|en|obsolete}} [[possible|Possible]].

===Etymology 2===
From {{inh|en|ang|meahte}} and {{m|ang|mihte}}, inflections of {{m|ang|magan}}, whence English {{m|en|may}}.

====Alternative forms====
* {{alter|en|med||dialect}}

====Verb====
{{en-verb|might|-|might|-}}

# {{lb|en|auxiliary}} {{infl of|en|may||spast}}
#: {{ux|en|He asked me if he '''might''' go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.}}
#: {{ux|en|I thought that I '''might''' go the next day.}}
#: {{ux|en|Let's finish this task so that we '''might''' go home asap.}}
#* {{quote-text|en|year=1922|author=w:James Frazer|title=w:The Golden Bough|url=https://www.bartleby.com/196/147.html|chapter=60
|passage=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.}}
#* {{RQ:Lincoln Pratt's Patients|chapter=1|passage=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.}}
#* {{RQ:Allingham China Governess|chapter=19|passage=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.}}
## {{non-gloss|Used to indicate a desired past action that was not done.}}
##: {{ux|en|You '''might''' have warned me about the thunderstorm.}}
#* {{quote-journal|en|author=w:Barney Ronay|title=Mexico’s {{w|Hirving Lozano}} stuns world champions Germany for brilliant win|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805002657/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/17/germany-mexico-world-cup-match-report|archivedate=5 August 2019|editor=w:Katharine Viner|newspaper=w:The Guardian|location=London|publisher=[[w:Guardian Media Group|Guardian News & Media]]|date=17 June 2018|issn=0261-3077|oclc=229952407|passage=With 14 minutes gone Héctor Moreno '''might''' have scored, glancing a header too close to Neuer from a free-kick.}}
# {{lb|en|auxiliary}} Used to indicate [[conditional]] or [[possible]] [[action]]s.
#: {{ux|en|I '''might''' go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.}}
#* {{quote-text|en|year=1608|author={{w|Joseph Hall (bishop)|Joseph Hall}}|title=Characters of Virtues and Vices
|passage=The characterism of an honest man: He looks not to what he '''might''' do, but what he should.}}
#* {{RQ:Chambers Younger Set|IX|passage=“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;{{nb...}}. ¶ 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.}}
#* {{quote-journal|en|date=2013-06-07|author=David Simpson
|volume=188|issue=26|page=36|magazine=w:The Guardian Weekly
|title=[http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/may/18/falling-upwards-richard-holmes-review Fantasy of navigation]
|passage=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;{{nb...}}.}}
# {{lb|en|auxiliary}} {{ng|Used to admit something before making a more accurate or important statement.}}
#: {{ux|en|I '''might''' be in a wheelchair, but I still want to be treated as a lady.}}
#* {{quote-book|en|author=Candy Sloan|title=Wrong Bed Reunion|year=2016|passage=I '''might''' play football, but I do know how to read.}}
# {{lb|en|auxiliary}} Used in polite requests for permission.
#: {{ux|en|'''Might''' I take the last biscuit?}}
# {{lb|en|auxiliary|UK|meiosis}} Used to express [[certainty]].
#: {{ux|en|Yeah, I think we '''might''' need something a bit sturdier.}}

=====Usage notes=====
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=====
* ''archaic second-person singular simple past'' - [[mightest]]
* ''nonstandard, archaic third-person singular simple past'' - [[mighteth]]

=====Alternative forms=====
* {{l|en|mought}} {{q|obsolete outside US dialects}}
* {{l|en|mout}} {{q|US regional pronunciation spelling}}

=====Derived terms=====
{{der2|en|might as well|might can|might could|might should|might-be|might-have-been|monkeys might fly out of my butt|pigs might fly|so crazy it just might work|so crazy it might just work|try as one might}}

=====Translations=====
{{trans-top|indicator of conditional or possible actions}}
* Armenian: {{t|hy|կարող է}}, {{t|hy|կարող են}}
* Bulgarian: {{t-needed|bg}}
* Dutch: {{t|nl|zou kunnen}}
* Esperanto: {{t|eo|eble}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|saattaa}} {{q|in the conditional mood}}
* French: {{t+|fr|peut-être}}
* Georgian: {{t-needed|ka}}
* German: {{t+|de|könnte}}, {{t+|de|könnten|p}}
* Greek:
*: Ancient: {{qual|optative mood +}} {{t|grc|ἄν}}
* Hebrew: {{t+|he|עָלוּל|m|tr='alúl}}, {{t+|he|יָכֹל|m|tr=yachól}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|lehet}}, {{t+|hu|talán}}, {{t+|hu|esetleg}}
* Italian: {{t+|it|potere}}
* Japanese: {{t+|ja|かも知れない|tr=ka mo shirenai}}
* Khmer: {{t+|km|ប្រហែល}}
* Korean: {{t-needed|ko}}
* Macedonian: {{t|mk|може}}
* Polish: {{t|pl|można by}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|poder}}, {{t+|pt|talvez}}
* Romanian: {{t+|ro|putea}}
* Scots: {{t|sco|micht}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|puede que}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|kanske}}, {{t|sv|skulle kunna}}
* Thai: {{t-needed|th}}
* Turkish: {{t-needed|tr}}
* Ukrainian: {{t|uk|мо́же бу́ти}}
* Vietnamese: {{t+|vi|có lẽ}}
{{trans-bottom}}

====See also====
* {{l|en|could}}
* [[Appendix:English modal verbs]]
* [[Appendix:English tag questions]]

===References===
* {{R:OneLook}}

{{cln|en|auxiliary verb forms|defective verbs|irregular simple past forms|modal verbs}}