[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/naught/)

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# naught

noun (naught — uncountable); pronoun (old-fashioned)

«naught» in the English dictionary: everyday and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (old-fashioned, literary) Nothing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#m1)
2. (mainly US) Zero, the number 0 (UK and others usually write "nought"). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#m2)
3. A good-for-naught is a lazy or useless person who never does anything good. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#m3)

### In the lessons

Found in old books, poems, the Bible and phrases: "come to naught" (fail, come to nothing), "all for naught" (for nothing, wasted). It tells the reader that effort was wasted or a plan failed.

### Examples

- All their hard work came to naught when the rain washed the sandcastle away. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x1)
- The knight's quest was all for naught. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x2)
- "It is naught but a bad dream," said the wizard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x3)
- Their plans came to naught. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x4)
- Without water, the seeds will grow to naught. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x5)
- He cared naught for gold. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x6)
- The final score was two to naught. (US) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x7)
- “Alas!” said the young man, “her father is a wandering good-for-naught, who has forsaken wife and child, and gone off—who knows where? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/#x8)

### Note

Old-fashioned. Spelling trap: "naught" (nothing) and "nought" (zero, UK) are often mixed up; and "naughty" comes from "naught" but means badly behaved. Homophones in many accents: naught, nought.

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

Not any thing; nothing at all. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/naught/#m1)

### Then and now

Old-fashioned; today we say nothing, and "naught" survives mostly in old or literary writing.

### Examples

- "Hasn't thou naught for supper, dame?" said he to his wife. (More English Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/naught/#x1)
- The next court you shall pay reverence to, but do naught nor say aught. (More English Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/naught/#x2)
- “Alas!” said the young man, “her father is a wandering good-for-naught, who has forsaken wife and child, and gone off—who knows where? (The Crimson Fairy Book) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/naught/#x3)

### Note

Today: nothing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «naught» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/naught/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«naught» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/naught.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «naught» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/naught/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«naught» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/naught.html) on Mova free.