Word: nought
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1950-1959
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...classes do have to open their mouths sometimes. They may repress a shudder at saying "Cheers" when drinking, but they will flatly refuse to say the non-U "God bless!" They do not "take a bath"; the U version is "have one's bath." U usage is a nought for the U.S. zero, and what? for pardon! The word civil has a special meaning for the upper class: it is "used to approve the behavior of a non-U person in that the latter has appreciated the difference between U and non-U, e.g., 'The guard was certainly...
Should the Hottentot tot be taught to say "ought" or "nought," Or what ought to be taught...