naught

Has two meanings, both being 'nothing', but can be used in two senses; one being as an effect such as 'comes to naught', or as a quantity identifier meaning 'Zero'.

The use of naught is primarily used in British English, and seldom in North-American english (outside of Shakespeare). The most common usage in the game 'Naughts and Crosses', which is the European name for the American 'Tic-Tac-Toe'.

Naught (?), n. [OE. naught, nought, naht, nawiht, AS. nwiht, nuht, nht; ne not + ever + wiht thing, whit; hence, not ever a whit. See No, adv. Whit, and cf. Aught, Not.]

1.

Nothing.

Doth Job fear God for naught? Job i. 9.

2.

The arithmetical character 0; a cipher. See Cipher.

To set at naught, to treat as of no account; to disregard; to despise; to defy; to treat with ignominy. "Ye have set at naught all my counsel."

Prov. i. 25.

© Webster 1913.

Naught, adv.

In no degree; not at all.

Chaucer.

To wealth or sovereign power he naught applied. Fairfax.

© Webster 1913.

Naught, a.

1.

Of no value or account; worthless; bad; useless.

It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer. Prov. xx. 14.

Go, get you to your house; begone, away! All will be naught else. Shak.

Things naught and things indifferent. Hooker.

2.

Hence, vile; base; naughty.

No man can be stark naught at once. Fuller.

© Webster 1913.