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Subject:Re: 'might' vs. 'may' From:Kathryn Seifert <kathryn_seifert -at- IL -dot- US -dot- SWISSBANK -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 14 Oct 1994 11:22:07 -0500
From Webster's 9th:
might \(')mi_t\
[ME, fr. OE meahte, mihte; akin to OHG mahta, mohta could]
past of MAY - used in auxiliary function to express permission, liberty,
probability, possibility in the past "the president might do nothing without
the board's consent" or a present condition contrary to fact "if you were older
you might understand" or less probability or possibility than may "might get
there before it rains" or as a polite alternative to may "might I ask who is
calling" or to ought or should "you might at least apologize"
