Talk:might

Past tense of "may"?

Is this really the past tense of may? I don't think so. Compare:

You are allowed to smoke outside today.	You may smoke outside today.
You were allowed to smoke outside yesterday.	???You might smoke outside yesterday.

You might certainly doesn't mean the same thing as 'you were allowed to. --Ptcamn 18:09, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Might is indeed the past tense of may. English auxiliary verbs are fraught with irregularities and particularities of all sorts. This article certainly needs a good deal of expansion. Ncik 00:33, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Perhaps it was historically, but certainly not synchronically. --Ptcamn 12:41, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

As with shall, the use as a past tense is now only found in subclauses. To a lesser degree the same is true of must. So the use of these past tenses has been limited to subclauses, but it is not obsolete. 178.4.151.68 21:42, 20 March 2021 (UTC)

Verb pronunciation.

Shouldn't this entry mention that the verb is pronounced with an 'n' sound between the 'i' sound and the 't' sound?

As an adverb

After an edit I just made to Wikipedia, I noticed that I used the phrase "might ought to go there," which sounded (and still sounds) better to me than "might want to go there" when talking about wiki entries. Since I hadn't actually heard of double modals until I caught myself using this phrase, I googled it and found that 1. double modals are a Scottish/North English/Southern American dialectal feature, but 2. that "might" in the way I used it is more widespread, and speculation—for example here, here, and here that "might" in this case is an adverb, similar to "probably." I'm a bit short on time right now and so I figure I'll ask if anybody has anything to say on the matter, and try to remember to revisit it at some point. —Quintucket (talk) 01:08, 3 June 2012 (UTC)

if wishes were horses, beggars might ride

It doesn't mean they might (perhaps, randomly) ride or not. It means they would have the option of riding. Does our entry cover this? I think it's the subjunctive form of may. Equinox ◑ 18:16, 28 June 2020 (UTC)

(Archaic) Used to express permission in the past

(Archaic) Used to express permission in the past: The courtier was informed that he might enter the king's chambers --Backinstadiums (talk) 20:59, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

--Backinstadiums (talk) 17:24, 28 July 2020 (UTC)

Let's agree on this so that (as a result) we might/may go home early

(used with another phrase or clause to express the condition, purpose, or result of something):
Let's agree on this so that (as a result) we might/may go home early

Is this a subjunctive use? --Backinstadiums (talk) 21:12, 16 November 2020 (UTC)

Yes. Hypothetical scenario: won't happen unless we agree. Equinox ◑ 21:16, 16 November 2020 (UTC)

Collins has the subjunctive as a meaning, unlike this current entry or should; insterestingly enough, Collins's may reads "another word for might1", which in turn reads "2. (often followed by well) expressing theoretical possibility: he might well come. In this sense might looks to the future and functions as a weak form of may". --Backinstadiums (talk) 19:27, 29 July 2021 (UTC)

used to emphasize that an important point has been made

used to emphasize that an important point has been made
‘And where is the money coming from?’ ‘You might well ask!’

However well reads

​1. can/could well easily: she could well afford to pay for it herself.
​2. can/could/may/might well probably: It may well be that the train is delayed.
can/could/may/might well with good reason: I can't very well leave now. ‘What are we doing here?’ ‘You may well ask (= I don't  know either).’
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/well_1

--Backinstadiums (talk) 21:34, 16 November 2020 (UTC)

A system of which we in Britain might well be envious. This caused a few gasps, as well it might. --Backinstadiums (talk) 12:01, 4 April 2021 (UTC)

Possibility that something was not the case

You do not use 'could not have' if it is possible that something was not the case, but might/may not have as in She mightn't have known what the bottle contained. If it isn't possible that something was the case, She couldn't have been drunk because she'd had hardly anything to drink. https://www.wordreference.com/EnglishUsage/might --Backinstadiums (talk) 08:58, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

verb

shouldnt sense 2 be on top since sense 1 is basically obsolete 91.137.16.24 04:47, 23 March 2024 (UTC)