What's the difference between naught and ought?

Naught


Definition:

  • (adv.) Nothing.
  • (adv.) The arithmetical character 0; a cipher. See Cipher.
  • (adv.) In no degree; not at all.
  • (a.) Of no value or account; worthless; bad; useless.
  • (a.) Hence, vile; base; naughty.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) A ny attempt to rein in the vast US surveillance apparatus exposed by Edward Snowden's whistleblowing will be for naught unless government and corporations alike are subject to greater oversight.
  • (2) Support for Peres evaporated when successive bomb attacks killed dozens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and talks with Syria came to naught.
  • (3) Cotton had 36 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and two steals for the Friars and it all ended up being for naught as No.
  • (4) 8.13pm BST Mary is being extremely naught in stealing Frances' leftovers.
  • (5) But the young striker is offside, and it's all for naught.
  • (6) 2.01am BST Tigers 0 - A's 0, bottom of the 3rd Stephen Vogt works a full count but it is for naught, as Verlander blows a fastball by him to make him his fifth strikeout victim.
  • (7) His efforts come to naught, as he's dispossessed by - I think - Tom Ince.
  • (8) Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon told reporters “basically, the president tried to both guilt people and then impugn their integrity” while Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota tweeted bitterly on Friday morning: “Now President Obama wants to talk?” But, all of Obama’s efforts proved for naught after Pelosi took the floor and spoke out against the deal.
  • (9) 9.56pm GMT EXTRA TIME, HALF TIME: Manchester United 1-0 Sunderland Another Sunderland corner comes to naught.
  • (10) If that is true, our efforts to act upon government advice and encouragement will have been for naught."
  • (11) United had started brightly, with Anthony Martial looking lively on the right wing, but a series of half-breaks and potential openings had come to naught.
  • (12) One was an opportunity for political dialogue, and the other an opportunity for reform following last year's BICI repor t. "Both those opportunities, however, came to naught, and the result may deal a deathblow, ironically, to the most moderate supporters of Bahrain's uprising," Dickinson says.
  • (13) When patients in treatment do not comply with medical directives, the most competent health care may go for naught and patients' well-being may be jeopardized.
  • (14) One day after a UN tribunal ruled overwhelmingly against Chinese claims to huge swaths of the strategically important waterway, Beijing rebuffed the verdict, calling it “a piece of paper that is destined to come to naught” .
  • (15) The most sophisticated repair may be for naught if the joints stiffen.
  • (16) A lifetime spent preparing, training, hour after agonizing hour, will have been for naught if an athlete dares to make a political statement at the wrong time about political events happening in a politicized Olympics; politicized in no small part by the IOC refusing to uphold their own charter when it applies to themselves.
  • (17) "Naught's had, all's Spent," laments Lady Macbeth, in the desolation that succeeds the bloody accomplishment of Duncan's murder.
  • (18) The resulting corner leads to another corner, which leads to naught, but this is all about the shot.
  • (19) Similarly prepared fractions from normal control spleens (NAc) containing 75 to 90% theta+cells and less than 10% Ig+ and naught cells were utilized in control cultures.
  • (20) At the broader policy level, policymakers must understand that efforts to reduce child mortality and improve child health will be for naught in the absence of efforts to protect against family-level deprivation.

Ought


Definition:

  • (n. & adv.) See Aught.
  • (imp., p. p., or auxiliary) Was or were under obligation to pay; owed.
  • (imp., p. p., or auxiliary) Owned; possessed.
  • (imp., p. p., or auxiliary) To be bound in duty or by moral obligation.
  • (imp., p. p., or auxiliary) To be necessary, fit, becoming, or expedient; to behoove; -- in this sense formerly sometimes used impersonally or without a subject expressed.
  • () of Owe

Example Sentences:

  • (1) "I think that we've got to treat our kids well, but I don't think we ought to say there's no place ever for smacks.
  • (2) We recommend, that the term vitelline macular degeneration ought to be used intead of Best's macular degeneration.
  • (3) Van Gaal argued that Huth had grabbed Fellaini’s considerable hair and claimed it ought to have been a penalty but the Football Association’s disciplinary department will surely take action.
  • (4) Authors have previously published April 1988 a lecture where they criticize the bad denomination "passed coma" full of ambiguity for public mind, to which "brain death" ought to be preferred.
  • (5) It has been said that hyperfractionation radiotherapy might be a better treatment for a neuroblastoma than the conventional therapy, however, we would suggest that a modification of the radiotherapy schedule ought to depend on the type of cells, because there are cells which show broad shoulder curves and a strong capacity for repair.
  • (6) They, together with Rosicky, form the group who feel they ought to be getting more playing time but the opportunity to impress passed them by as Arsenal felt the force of Southampton’s endeavour and solidity.
  • (7) Alli almost scored with one of his first touches, denied by Martin Skrtel’s saving clearance, but England really ought to have created more clear chances given the amount of time they had on the ball.
  • (8) Dealing with the special problem of pregnancy in women with the biological disorder, one ought to consider the literature on the subject, showing the large occurrence of ante- and post-natal accidents.
  • (9) The authors suggest that there ought to be limits on the extent to which social and economic considerations in the provision of radiological services should be allowed to compromise sound principles in the radiation protection of the patient.
  • (10) Because it ought to be crystal clear what the BBC has agreed to do as part of its public service remit.
  • (11) There is going to be an urgent government inquiry with recommendations and, frankly the ABC ought to take some very strong action straightaway.” When asked whose heads should roll, Abbott ended the press conference and walked away.
  • (12) No true evangelical ought to be tempted to give such tales any credence whatsoever, no matter how popular they become,” Johnson wrote.
  • (13) On the face of it, Huhne's guilty plea last month on a charge of perverting the course of justice over a 2003 speeding case ought to have killed the Liberal Democrats' hopes of holding the seat.
  • (14) The paper proposes that in post-behaviouristic and post-phenomenological times an integration of frames of reference, designs and methodologies ought to be attempted, notwithstanding serious dissonances, disagreements, and professions-bound interests.
  • (15) Big tumors leading to displacement of intestinal or biliary organs ought to be removed in toto; this allows complete histological work up and exclusion of malignancy, and it does prevent recurrence of the tumor as well.
  • (16) Department of Health officials have made it clear that A&Es ought to share information with police, but a spokesperson admitted it simply did not know how many hospitals were operating the model.
  • (17) It’s more to do with the politics within the Coalition rather than what I think the community wants, which is to get on with this issue to be dealt with where it ought to be dealt with – and I think that’s the fed parliament.” Asked if his party would pass the plebiscite enabling legislation, Xenophon replied: “Right now it’s a no.
  • (18) In practice, there are now two or three classes of shareholders, and the only ones that ought to have the privileges of dividends and decision-making about the future of the companies they are said to own ought to be those that hold on to your shares for the longer term.
  • (19) If the party’s senior members cannot grasp this simple fact, then perhaps they ought to replace the word “Labour” in the party’s name – or cross the floor and join the Conservatives?
  • (20) We insist that its citizens ought to be more virtuous versions of ourselves; when they fall short, our rage is terrible.