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might1 7

  • 1 might

    Ⅰ.
    might1 [maɪt]
    ⓘ GRAM La forme négative mightn't s'écrit might not dans un style plus soutenu. Might et may peuvent s'utiliser indifféremment ou presque dans les expressions de la catégorie (a).
    ∎ you might well be right il se pourrait bien que vous ayez raison;
    ∎ I might be home late tonight je rentrerai peut-être tard ce soir;
    ∎ why not come with us? - I might pourquoi ne viens-tu pas avec nous? - peut-être;
    ∎ don't eat it, it might be poisonous n'en mange pas, tu pourrais t'empoisonner;
    ∎ hundreds of lives might have been lost unnecessarily des centaines de gens sont peut-être morts inutilement;
    ∎ she might well have decided to turn back il se pourrait ou il se peut bien qu'elle ait décidé de rentrer;
    ∎ they might have reached the summit by now ils ont peut-être déjà atteint le sommet;
    ∎ she might have decided not to go il se peut qu'elle ait décidé de ne pas y aller
    (b) (past form of "may")
    ∎ I never considered that she might want to come je n'avais jamais pensé qu'elle pouvait avoir envie de venir;
    ∎ we feared you might be dead nous avons eu peur que vous ne soyez mort
    (c) (in polite questions, suggestions)
    ∎ might I interrupt? puis-je me permettre de vous interrompre?;
    ∎ and what, might I ask, was the reason? et puis-je savoir quelle en était la raison?;
    ∎ might I or if I might make a suggestion? puis-je me permettre de suggérer quelque chose?;
    ∎ you might try using a different approach altogether vous pourriez adopter une approche entièrement différente;
    ∎ I thought we might have tea together somewhere je m'étais dit que nous pourrions aller prendre un thé ensemble quelque part;
    ∎ you might want to ask the managing director first ce serait une bonne idée de demander au directeur avant
    ∎ that, I might add, was not my idea cela n'était pas mon idée, soit dit en passant;
    ∎ this, as one might expect, did not go down well with the government le gouvernement, est-il nécessaire de le préciser, n'a guère apprécié
    ∎ you might at least tidy up your room! tu pourrais au moins ranger ta chambre!;
    ∎ I might have known he'd be the last (to arrive) j'aurais dû savoir qu'il serait le dernier (à arriver);
    ∎ you might have warned me! tu aurais pu me prévenir!
    ∎ they might say they support women, but they do nothing practical to help them ils ont beau dire qu'ils soutiennent les femmes, concrètement ils ne font rien pour les aider;
    ∎ whatever problems she might have, at least she keeps them to herself elle a peut-être des problèmes, mais au moins elle n'embête pas les autres avec;
    ∎ he might not be the best-looking man in the world but he's very kind ce n'est peut-être pas un apollon mais il est très gentil
    ∎ or humorous (in questions) and who might you be? et qui êtes-vous donc?;
    ∎ and what might you be up to? et que faites-vous donc?
    ∎ we might as well go home (as stay here) nous ferions aussi bien de rentrer chez nous (plutôt que de rester ici);
    ∎ I might as well have stayed in bed j'aurais aussi bien fait de rester au lit;
    ∎ he's regretting it now, as well he might! il le regrette maintenant, et pour cause!
    Ⅱ.
    might2
    (a) (power → of nation) pouvoir m, puissance f; (→ of army) puissance f
    ∎ with all one's might de toutes ses forces;
    ∎ he started yelling with all his might il se mit à crier à tue-tête;
    ∎ literary with might and main de toutes ses forces;
    ∎ she strove with might and main to prevent it elle a fait tout ce qu'elle a pu pour empêcher cela;
    ∎ proverb might is right la raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure

    Un panorama unique de l'anglais et du français > might

  • 2 Usage note : might

    Although usage shows that may and might are interchangeable in many contexts, might indicates a more remote possibility than may. French generally translates this element of possibility using peut-être with the appropriate verb tense:
    it might snow
    = il va peut-être neiger
    (It is also possible to translate this more formally using il se peut + subjunctive: il se peut qu’il neige). For particular examples see might1 1.
    It is possible to translate might differently depending on the nature of the context and the speaker’s point of view:
    he might not come
    = il risque de ne pas venir
    implies that this is not a desirable outcome for the speaker ;
    he might not come
    = il pourrait ne pas venir or il se peut qu’il ne vienne pas
    however, is neutral in tone. Where there is the idea of a possibility in the past which has not in fact occurred (see might1 2), French uses the past conditional of the verb (which is often pouvoir):
    it might have been serious (but wasn’t in fact)
    = ça aurait pu être grave
    This is also the case where something which could have taken place did not, thus causing annoyance:
    you might have said thanks!
    = tu aurais pu dire merci!
    (see might1 7).
    might, as the past tense of may, will automatically occur in instances of reported speech:
    he said you might be hurt
    = il a dit que tu serais peut-être blessé
    For more examples see the entry might1 and bear in mind the rules for the agreement of tenses.
    Where there is a choice between may and might in making requests, might is more formal and even rather dated. French uses inversion (je peux = puis-je?) in this context and puis-je me permettre de…? (= might I…?) is extremely formal.
    Might can be used to polite effect - to soften direct statements: you might imagine that…or to offer advice tactfully: it might be wise to…In both cases, French uses the conditional tense of the verb: on pourrait penser que… ; ce serait peut-être une bonne idée de… The use of well in phrases such as he might well be right etc. implies a greater degree of likelihood.
    For translations of might well, may well, see B2 in the entry well1.
    For translations of the phrase might as well ( we might as well go home), see well1 B2.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : might

  • 3 Usage note : may

    When may (or may have) is used with another verb in English to convey possibility, French will generally use the adverb peut-être ( perhaps) with the equivalent verb:
    it may rain
    = il pleuvra peut-être
    we may never know what happened
    = nous ne saurons peut-être jamais ce qui s’est passé
    he may have got lost
    = il s’est peut-être perdu
    Alternatively, and more formally, the construction il se peut que + subjunctive may be used: il se peut qu’il pleuve ; il se peut que nous ne sachions jamais. For particular usages, see 1 in the entry may1.
    peut-être is also used in French to convey concession:
    he may be slow but he’s not stupid
    = il est peut-être lent mais il n’est pas bête
    you may think I’m crazy but …
    = tu penses peut-être que je suis fou mais…
    When may is used to convey permission, the French equivalent is pouvoir:
    you may close the door
    = vous pouvez fermer la porte
    Note that the polite question may I…? is translated by puis-je…?:
    may I make a suggestion?
    = puis-je faire une suggestion?
    For particular usages, see 2 in the entry may1.
    When may is used in rather formal English to convey purpose in the construction in order that + may, the French equivalent is pour que + subjunctive:
    in order that he may know
    = pour qu’il sache
    When may is used with another verb to express a wish, the French uses que + subjunctive:
    may they be happy!
    = qu’ils soient heureux!
    long may it last!
    = que ça dure!
    When may well + verb is used to convey likelihood, the French uses il est fort possible que + subjunctive:
    he may well have gone elsewhere
    = il est fort possible qu’il soit allé ailleurs
    But note:
    that may well be but…
    = c’est possible mais…
    In the phrase may as well, may is used interchangeably with might, which is more frequently used. For translations see the entry might1.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : may

См. также в других словарях:

  • might — might1 /muyt/, auxiliary v. 1. pt. of may1. 2. (used to express possibility): They might be at the station. 3. (used to express advisability): You might at least thank me. 4. (used in polite requests for permission): Might I speak to you for a… …   Universalium

  • might — might1 W1S1 [maıt] modal v negative short form mightn t ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(possibility)¦ 2¦(suggesting)¦ 3¦(asking permission)¦ 4¦(somebody should have done something)¦ 5¦(past purpose)¦ 6 might I say/ask/add etc 7 I might say/add 8 I might have… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • might — might1 [ maıt ] modal verb *** Might is usually followed by an infinitive without to : I might change my mind. Sometimes might is used without a following infinitive: I don t think we ll need any more help, but we might. Might does not change its …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • might — might1 modal verb (3rd singular present might) past of may1. 1》 used in reported speech to express possibility or permission.     ↘expressing a possibility based on an unfulfilled condition.     ↘expressing annoyance: you might have told me! 2》… …   English new terms dictionary

  • magh- — To be able, have power. Derivatives include dismay, might1, machine, and magic. 1. a. may1, from Old English magan, to be able; b. dismay, from Old French esmaier, to frighten. Both a …   Universalium

  • might — might1 [mīt] v.aux. [ME mihte < OE, akin to Ger möchte] 1. pt. of MAY1 2. used as a modal auxiliary in verbal phrases with present or future time reference, generally equivalent to MAY1 in meaning and use, with the following functions: a)… …   English World dictionary

  • may — may1 /may/, auxiliary v., pres. sing. 1st pers. may, 2nd may or (Archaic) mayest or mayst, 3rd may; pres. pl. may; past …   Universalium

  • as — as1 W1S1 [əz strong æz] prep, adv [: Old English; Origin: eallswa; ALSO] 1.) used when you are comparing two people, things, situations etc as ... as ▪ Tom s not as old as you, is he? ▪ an old woman with hair as white as snow ▪ Some of the… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • just — just1 W1S1 [dʒəst strong dʒʌst] adv 1.) exactly ▪ A good strong cup of coffee is just what I need right now. ▪ The house was large and roomy; just right for us. ▪ She looks just like her mother. ▪ Just what do you think you re trying to do? just… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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