Aughts


anything whatever; any part:
for aught I know.
Archaic. in any degree; at all; in any respect.
a cipher (0); zero.
aughts, the first decade of any century, especially the years 1900 through 1909 or 2000 through 2009.
to own; possess.
to owe (someone or something); be obligated to.
possessed of.
Archaic.

ownership; possession.
property; a possession.

Contemporary Examples

Early in the aughts, Wall Street whistled, and neither Clinton nor de Blasio barked.
When Dems Loved Wall Street Lloyd Green January 5, 2014

A lot has been written lately about what a dreadful decade the “aughts” have been.
A Holiday Lesson from Auschwitz Christopher Buckley December 25, 2009

Apple’s products, though, are severely closed, yet it managed to rise to the top in the aughts.
Steve Jobs, Philosopher-King CEO Ilana Glazer February 18, 2013

I told you all a million times: In the aughts, things happened, and I had to create my own reality.
America’s Dysfunctional Family Dynamic Michael Tomasky July 25, 2011

But the “aughts” have been his decade—because between 2000 and 2009, the North vanquished the South yet again.
The White House Ignores the South Peter Beinart December 13, 2009

But during the aughts, the stunning actress had to fight back against being typecast.
Jessica Alba on ‘Sin City,’ Typecasting, and How Homophobia Pushed Her Away From the Church Marlow Stern August 17, 2014

The aughts went out like a cranky kid last night, kicking and screaming until the bitter end.
Screaming and Freezing in Times Square Rebecca Dana December 31, 2009

In the aughts, GDP fell by 5.1 percent, nearly twice as much.
Burning Down the House: A Little History Michael Tomasky June 6, 2012

Historical Examples

“Ay, and aughts,” replied Sancho, and in replying he let the stream wash his fingers.
The Story of Don Quixote Arvid Paulson, Clayton Edwards, and Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

pronoun
anything at all; anything whatever (esp in the phrase for aught I know)
adverb
(dialect) in any least part; to any degree
noun
a less common word for nought
n.

“something,” Old English awiht “aught, anything, something,” literally “e’er a whit,” from Proto-Germanic *aiwi “ever” (from PIE *aiw- “vital force, life, long life, eternity;” see eon) + *wihti “thing, anything whatever” (see wight). In Shakespeare, Milton and Pope, aught and ought occur indiscriminately.

“nothing, zero,” faulty separation of a naught (see naught; cf. also adder for the separation problem).

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