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# nought

noun (a nought, noughts); number (nought)

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

## Everyday

1. (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ) The number zero, 0. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#m1)
2. (literary) Nothing (more often spelled "naught"). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#m2)

### In the lessons

A maths word in British-style schools: "nought point five" (0.5), "ten has one ten and nought ones", and the game "noughts and crosses" (US: tic-tac-toe). In maths problems, nought means the value is zero.

### Examples

- Write a nought in the units column. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x1)
- Nought point five is the same as a half. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x2)
- Let's play noughts and crosses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x3)
- The temperature fell to nought degrees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x4)
- A million has six noughts. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x5)
- Anything multiplied by nought is nought. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x6)
- The score was three–nought. (UK sport usually says "three–nil") [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x7)
- She saw nought the first day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nought/#x8)

### Note

UK word; Americans say "zero". In maths: adding nought changes nothing; multiplying by nought gives nought; you cannot divide by nought. Trap: "nought" (zero) vs "naught" (nothing).

## In Jewish tradition

A maths word in British-style schools: "nought point five" (0.5), "ten has one ten and nought ones", and the game "noughts and crosses" (US: tic-tac-toe). In maths problems, nought means the value is zero.

### Examples

- Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nought of your work shall be diminished.' (Torah EXO.5.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nought/#x1)
- but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.' — (Torah NUM.11.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nought/#x2)
- And Laban said unto Jacob: 'Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?' (Torah GEN.29.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nought/#x3)
- And now, is it for nought that He punished in His anger? (Writings JOB.35.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nought/#x4)
- Then Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'Doth Job fear God for nought? (Writings JOB.1.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nought/#x5)
- All Thy commandments are faithful; they persecute me for nought; help Thou me. (Writings PSA.119.86, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nought/#x6)

### Note

UK word; Americans say "zero". In maths: adding nought changes nothing; multiplying by nought gives nought; you cannot divide by nought. Trap: "nought" (zero) vs "naught" (nothing).

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

Nothing; in the texts it means no part, or nothing at all. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nought/#m1)

### Then and now

Old form of "naught" (nothing); today "nought" also means the number zero, which is used in British English and not in these sentences.

### Examples

- Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nought of your work shall be diminished.' (Torah EXO.5.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nought/#x1)
- She saw nought the first day. (More English Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nought/#x2)
- but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.' — (Torah NUM.11.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nought/#x3)

### Note

Today: nothing.

## On Mova

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