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ought English

Meaning ought meaning

What does ought mean?
Definitions in simple English

ought

If you ought to do something, doing it is better than not doing it. I think perhaps we ought to help her. It's dangerous and there ought not to be any children close by. We really ought to go a bit early because of the snow. What time ought the school to open? I suppose I ought to write her an e-mail. If something ought to be true, you have reason to believe it, but you don't know, or it is not true. Oughtn't he to be here by now. You ought to be able to finish that in an hour.

ought

(auxiliary) Indicating duty or obligation. (auxiliary) Indicating advisability or prudence. (auxiliary) Indicating desirability. indicating likelihood or probability

ought

; anything

ought

; at all, to any degree.

ought

A statement of what ought to be the case as contrasted with what is the case.

ought

; cipher, zero, nought.

Synonyms ought synonyms

What other words have the same or similar meaning as ought?

Topics ought topics

What do people use ought to talk about?
  • obligation, weak: it is recommended that the agent complete the action of the main verb: 'Harry ought to get a haircut before meeting Sue's mother'.

Examples ought examples

How do I use ought in a sentence?

Simple sentences

You ought to thank him.
You ought to be ashamed.
You ought to have seen the exhibition.
You ought to have seen it.
We ought to win.
You ought to see a doctor.
You ought to eat more slowly.
Such a man ought to succeed.
Your parents ought to know it.
I ought to go there, but I won't.
We ought to love one another.
We ought to leave now.
You look tired. You ought to rest for an hour or two.
I think that you ought to apologize to her.
You ought to ask him for advice.
You ought not to have said a thing like that to him.
You ought to ask for your teacher's permission.
You ought to see a dentist.
You ought to be on time if you start now.
You ought not to have done that.
You ought to have taken your father's advice.

Movie subtitles

Only I've been making things without sleeves and I thought perhaps I ought to get knitting?
I'd like your opinion on a mother who's not doing what she ought.
You ought to choose one of your friends.
There, this ought to cover you to get home.
I think we ought to the kids to tell them what's going on.
They ought to. I've had ' em for years.
You ought to cut out drinking so much coffee.
We ought to dress this place up a bit.
We thought maybe you could tell us what we ought to do about it.
You know, if they're gonna march us in again tomorrow. we ought to go see how Kemmerick is. - That's a good idea.
I said that every man in the war ought to have the lron Cross.
You ought to see what they've got on the other side.
Well, young fella, I guess 100 a week ought to buy you.
I ought to give him a chance on my next job.
Humph. You ought to know by now there's always a way.
But fairness and consideration for his friends would call him for caution, he ought to think it over and discuss it and similar catchphrases.
Duke Adorno ought to be wary!
He ought to be wary, Duke Adorno!
Salvago ought to restrain his urge for donation for a long time.
Arnie you ought to have better sense than to hire a couple of outside yaps especially bad shots.
I suppose I ought to pay for it.
Well, you ought to know.
Get me? That ought be easy to take.
You ought to get some new ties.
You ought to be able to fool almost anybody.
In fact, I ought to do it now.
We ought to be very proud of him.
You know, if they're gonna march us in again tomorrow. we ought to go see how Kemmerick is.
I ought to make it by Tuesday.
Don't you think I ought to be consulted about my marriage?
Don't you think that door ought to open?
You ought to be ashamed of yourself hitting a little Norwegian like that.
Yeah, I ought to incorporate, huh? Yeah.
He ought to come down to earth.
You ought to wear squeaky shoes, Hobson.
You think I ought to go to bed?

News and current affairs

We should not forswear that option, but we ought to consider others, not least because the Security Council - whose backing will be politically if not legally crucial - may never support invasion.
Similarly, membership of bodies that conduct peer review of scientific proposals - a process that is fundamental to scientific progress - surely ought to be free of all barriers to entry that are unrelated to professional qualifications.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and the White House Personnel Office ought to set an example to the rest of the world.
The US ought not to shy away from wider use of IMF Special Drawing Rights.
That process needs to be initiated by the US, but China and other developing countries ought to participate as equals.
In principle, the Commission ought to be slimmed down after enlargement, with fewer Commissioners than member states.
Equally, big member states ought to have more votes in the Council of Ministers, to reflect their greater populations.
Of course, the enormity of the Holocaust ought to have eradicated anti-Semitism for all time.
In view of the similarities between those historical precedents and current conditions in Saudi Arabia, we ought not to rule out the possibility of reform.
Insurance companies and mortgage companies ought to be willing to offer such products if they can hedge the home-price risks in liquid derivative markets.
We ought never to have entertained the notion that the world's greatest challenge could be to reduce temperature rises in our generation by a fraction of a degree.
Going public makes sense for another reason: Iran's people ought to know that any attack on the country was one that it had largely brought on itself.
Instead of punitive measures to enforce such standards, poor countries ought to be given incentives, such as tariff relief, to comply.
WASHINGTON, DC - Puerto Rico ought to be the jewel of the Caribbean.
The upcoming climate negotiations ought to address the specific problems of Africa and similarly vulnerable poor parts of the world.
Yes, the IMF ought to develop a voluntary code of conduct for SWF's, but it should not be used as a weapon to enforce financial protectionism.
Everyone knows that these changes ought to be radical, even semi-federal.
With John Kerry's arrival as Secretary of State, the US ought to recognize that such a large Islamic country in a troubled neighborhood should show leadership on human-rights issues.
Reversing the robotic gigantism of banking ought to be the top priority for reform.
Capital adequacy was a matter of judgment: examiners would figure out how large a buffer a bank ought to have, taking into account its specific risks.
Finally, a stronger renminbi ought to be an integral part of the package of reforms to boost consumption.

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