From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
might
n : physical strength [syn: mightiness, power]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
May \May\ (m[=a]), v. [imp. Might (m[imac]t)] [AS. pres. maeg
I am able, pret. meahte, mihte; akin to D. mogen, G.
m["o]gen, OHG. mugan, magan, Icel. mega, Goth. magan, Russ.
moche. [root]103. Cf. Dismay, Main strength, Might. The
old imp. mought is obsolete, except as a provincial word.]
An auxiliary verb qualifying the meaning of another verb, by
expressing:
(a) Ability, competency, or possibility; -- now oftener
expressed by can.
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How may a man, said he, with idle speech,
Be won to spoil the castle of his health!
--Spenser.
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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.
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For of all sad words of tongue or pen
The saddest are these: "It might have been."
--Whittier.
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(b) Liberty; permission; allowance.
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Thou mayst be no longer steward. --Luke xvi. 2.
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(c) Contingency or liability; possibility or probability.
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Though what he learns he speaks, and may advance
Some general maxims, or be right by chance. --Pope.
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(d) Modesty, courtesy, or concession, or a desire to soften a
question or remark.
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How old may Phillis be, you ask. --Prior.
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(e) Desire or wish, as in prayer, imprecation, benediction,
and the like. "May you live happily." --Dryden.
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May be, & It may be, are used as equivalent to
possibly, perhaps, maybe, by chance,
peradventure. See 1st Maybe.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Might \Might\ (m[imac]t),
imp. of May. [AS. meahte, mihte.]
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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. [root]103. 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.
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What so strong,
But wanting rest, will also want of might? --Spenser.
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Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. --Deut.
vi. 5.
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With might and main. See under 2d Main.
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