Ought

1. ‘Aught’ and ‘ought’ are different forms of the same word. Aught is from a (=ever) and wiht (=thing, whit) as ought is from ὁ (=ever) and wiht. So the meaning is ‘ any thing whatever.’ The early forms were numerous. AV has only the form ‘ought,’ which RV everywhere changes into ‘aught,’ the modern form. See NAUGHT. 2. In AV 1611 ‘ought’ is found as the past tense of ‘owe’ in Mt 18%, Lk 7“. This was originally its use, but in time it was regarded as distinct from ‘owe,’ from which another past tense, ‘owed,’ was formed, and looked upon as a present with another meaning. Cf. Spenser, FQ U1. i. 44— * Now were they liegmen to this Ladie free, And her knight's service ought, to hold of her in fee.’ J. HASTINGS.