• Oughtn't

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /ˈɔːnÌ©t/, /ˈɔː.tÉ™nt/

    Origin

    ought + -n't

    Verb

    verb form

    1. (UK) (US, Canada, dated, rare) ought not (negative auxiliary
    Arnold M. Zwicky and Geoffrey K. Pullum, Cliticization vs. Inflection: English n’t, Language 59 (3), 1983, pp. 502-513).

    Usage notes

    Both oughtn't and ought not have become rare in North America. Oughtn't in particular may not be understood.

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