nought
LowFormal, literary, historical; British English.
Definition
Meaning
The digit 0; zero; nothing.
Used to signify the absence of something, a worthless or insignificant person or thing, or a complete failure. In British English, also used in the name of the game 'noughts and crosses' (tic-tac-toe).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a British English term for the number zero. Can carry a literary or slightly old-fashioned tone. Often implies the concept of 'nothingness' rather than just a numerical placeholder. Not used in decimals (use 'zero' instead).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'nought' is a standard, though formal/dated, word for the digit 0. In American English, 'zero' is almost exclusively used; 'nought' is rare and perceived as a Britishism.
Connotations
UK: Formal/literary 'zero'; also used in game name 'noughts and crosses'. US: Highly unusual; may sound archaic or pretentiously British.
Frequency
Much more frequent in UK English, though 'zero' is also common. In US English, 'nought' is very rare except in specific contexts (e.g., literary quotes).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[come to + nought][be + worth + nought][reduce + something + to + nought]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “come to nought”
- “set at nought”
- “all for nought”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in formal, old-fashioned reports: "Profits amounted to nought."
Academic
Occasional in historical or literary contexts to denote absence or zero value.
Everyday
Low frequency. Mostly in UK for the game 'noughts and crosses' or the phrase 'came to nought'.
Technical
Virtually never used; 'zero' is standard.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- NA
American English
- NA
adverb
British English
- NA
American English
- NA
adjective
British English
- NA
American English
- NA
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The score was nought to seven.
- We played noughts and crosses.
- His efforts came to nought in the end.
- Write a nought in the empty box.
- All their carefully laid plans were set at nought by the sudden storm.
- The value of the currency fell to almost nought during the crisis.
- The philosopher contemplated the void, the metaphysical nought from which being emerges.
- Their initial optimism was reduced to nought by the relentless string of failures.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'nought' as 'no-thing' or 'not aught' (an old word for 'anything'). It's a formal, British way to say zero.
Conceptual Metaphor
ABSENCE IS ZERO / FAILURE IS NOTHING (e.g., 'His plans came to nought').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'not' (не).
- 'Nought' is a specific word for the number, not a general negation.
- In math, 'zero' is more common; 'nought' is for formal/literary contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'nought' in American English contexts.
- Writing 'nought point five' (correct UK) but expecting it to be understood in the US.
- Confusing spelling with 'naught' (US variant/archaic for 'nothing').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'nought' most appropriately used in modern British English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, 'nought' is standard for the digit 0. 'Naught' is an archaic/literary US variant meaning 'nothing'. They are often used interchangeably in older texts, but 'nought' is the preferred UK spelling for the number.
In British English, both are possible, though 'nought point five' is common. In American English, always use 'zero point five' (or 'point five').
Not really. It is formal and somewhat old-fashioned. In the UK, you'll hear it mainly in the game 'noughts and crosses' and the idiom 'came to nought'. For the number 0, 'zero', 'oh', or 'nil' (in sports) are more common.
No, 'nought' is almost exclusively a noun (or pronoun meaning 'nothing'). The related word 'naught' can be used adverbially or pronominally in archaic contexts (e.g., 'it availed naught'), but this is very rare.
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