Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • auxiliary verb Used to indicate a condition or state contrary to fact.
  • auxiliary verb Used to indicate a possibility or probability that is weaker than may:
  • auxiliary verb Used to express possibility or probability or permission in the past.
  • auxiliary verb Used to express a higher degree of deference or politeness than may, ought, or should:
  • noun Great power or force, as of a nation or army.
  • noun Physical strength: synonym: strength.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The quality of being able; ability to do or act; power; active personal force or strength, physical or mental: as, a man of might; the might of intellect.
  • noun Power of control or compulsion; ability to wield or direct force; commanding strength: as, the might of empire.
  • noun Physical force; material energy.
  • noun Preterit of may.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun 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.
  • noun See under 2d Main.
  • imp. of may.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb auxiliary Used to indicate conditional or possible actions.
  • verb auxiliary Simple past of may. Used to indicate permission in past tense.
  • verb auxiliary Simple past of may. Used to indicate possibility in past tense.
  • noun uncountable Power, strength, force or influence held by a person or group.
  • noun uncountable Physical strength.
  • noun uncountable The ability to do something.
  • adjective obsolete Mighty; powerful; possible.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun physical strength

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English meahte, mihte, first and third person sing. past tense of magan, to be able; see may.]

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English meaht, miht; see magh- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old English meahte, from magan, whence English may.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English might, myghte, (also maught, macht, maht), from Old English miht, mieht, meaht, mæht ("might, bodily strength, power, authority, ability, virtue, mighty work, miracle, angel"), from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz, *mahtuz (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *mógʰtis, *magʰ- (“to allow, be able, help”), corresponding to Germanic *maganą + *-þiz. Cognate with Scots micht, maucht ("might"), North Frisian macht ("might, ability"), West Frisian macht ("might, ability"), Dutch macht ("might, power"), German Macht ("power, might"), Swedish makt ("might"), Icelandic máttur ("might").

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Examples

  • I kind of agree with this, except dogs might *might* be an exception.

    You think because a chimpanzee knows you, he doesn't hate you? Ann Althouse 2009

  • I might - *might* - consider not buying the manga I'd never heard of before but looks oh-so interesting if I knew any of these were coming out that week:

    Manga Before Flowers – Procrastination Poll! | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources 2008

  • For instance, I can think of one way the Republicans might, just *might*, retain control of both houses: if they impeach and convict Bush and Cheney themselves, before the next election.

    Firedoglake » Carpe Diem 2006

  • I wrote about what might–and I emphasize the word *might*–be an indication that some small steps have actually been taken in my Blog-Against-Sexism-Day post.

    Anti-rape ads aimed at men 2006

  • Arizona because it suddenly occurred to me that the police might -- just * might* -- come and take away my computer.

    The Hacker Crackdown Sterling, Bruce 1992

  • All at once the thought struck him that he himself might be the person accused, and the bare idea that such _might_ be the case sent the blood to his heart and a cold shudder through his frame.

    Eveline Mandeville The Horse Thief Rival Alvin Addison

  • It might go wrong with you -- only _might_ -- but I want, I must have, your consent.

    A Son of the Hills

  • With reasonable care the thing might be done almost with impunity -- though there was never wanting, of course, the not entirely unpleasurable excitement of knowing that you were breaking the law, that somebody _might_ have turned informer, and that at any moment a raid might be made.

    Stories of the Border Marches Jeanie Lang

  • It might rain tomorrow, and 'sides, it _might_ take us more'n

    At the Little Brown House Ruth Alberta Brown

  • If a woman might not do this, what, in heaven's name, _might_ she do?

    The Daughters of Danaus Mona Caird

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