naught
NAWT
/nɔːt/
Nothing; the figure 0.
Carries a sense of failure or worthlessness when used as 'nothing'.
The story behind the word. From Old English 'nāwiht,' a compound of 'ne' (not) and 'āwiht' (anything). It is the direct ancestor of the word 'not'.
Word relationships
- nothing: 'Nothing' is the standard; 'naught' is more dramatic.
- nil: 'Nil' is used in sports scores; 'naught' is used in literature.
- aught: 'Aught' means 'anything,' the archaic opposite of naught.
Commonly confused with
- naughty: 'Naughty' originally meant 'having nothing' or 'poor,' but now means 'badly behaved'.
Collocations
- come to naught
- for naught
Idioms & expressions
- come to naught
Example sentences
- "All our preparations came to naught when the storm destroyed the stage." Describing a failed effort.
Memory hook
Naught looks like a zero (0). Naught = Not anything.
When not to use
In mathematics, use 'zero'; in casual speech, use 'nothing'.
Fun facts
- The game 'Noughts and Crosses' is the British name for Tic-Tac-Toe.
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