dought

• douth

• enPR: dout, IPA^(key): /daʊt/
• Rhymes: -aʊt

From Middle English duȝethe, duhethe (“body of retainers, people, might, dignity, worth”), from Old English duguþ (“manhood, host, multitude, troops”), from Proto-Germanic *dugunþō (“power, competency, notefulness”), from Proto-Germanic *duganą (“to be useful”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewgʰ- (“to be ready, be sufficient; be strong; have force”). Cognate with Old Frisian duged (“power”), Old High German tugad, tugund (“virtue”), German Tugend, Swedish dygd. Related to dow, doughty.

dought (usually uncountable, plural doughts)

1. manhood, virtue
2. the age of manhood, maturity
3. virility, manly power or strength; excellence
4. (collectively) men, people
5. a company, army, retinue

From Middle English doghte, from Old English dohte (first and third person singular past tense of dugan (“to avail, be useful”)).

dought

1. (dialectal) alternative past tense form of dow