might-have-beenadj.n.

Brit.

/ˈmʌɪt(h)əvbiːn/, U.S.

/ˈmaɪdə(v)ˌbɪn/

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: English might , may v.¹, have been , be v.

Etymology: < might, past tense of may v.¹ + have been, perfect tense of be v. Compare earlier maybe adv., n., and adj., might-be n. and adj.

A. adj.

Designating an object, event, fact, etc., that might have existed, happened, or been the case; designating a person who might have filled a particular role, position, etc. That is potential; proposed, postulated.

ΚΠ

1803 S. T. Coleridge Let. 17 Feb. (1956) II. 931 He has settled both his Might-have-been-lawsuits.

1933 Econometrica 1 424 The cost of commodity A is the cost of might-have-been commodity B is the cost of might-have-been commodity C.

1956 W. H. Auden Old Man's Road With might-be maps of might-have-been campaigns.

1974 R. Thomas Porkchoppers xxvi. 230 The name that symbolized the might-have-been world of Donald Cubbin.

1989 Psychol. Today Sept. 73/1 The reader is left wanting to hear more from might-have-been victims who avoided the acquaintance-rape trap.

B. n.

A thing or event which might have existed, occurred, or been the case; a person who has failed to be successful; unfulfilled potential.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [noun] > a possible thing or circumstance > in the past

might-have-been1848

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [noun] > a possible thing or circumstance > in the past > person

might-have-been1848

the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [noun] > one who or that which is unsuccessful > one who is a failure > one who could have been more successful

might-have-been1886

1848 A. H. Clough Bothie of Toper-na-Fuosich iii. 156 He to the great might-have-been upsoaring, sublime and idëal.

1873 T. Hardy Pair of Blue Eyes III. ii. 58 But let us confine our attention to ourselves, not go thinking of might-have-beens.

1886 R. Kipling Departm. Ditties (1888) 19 Boanerges Blitzen, servant of the Queen, Is a dismal failure—is a ‘Might-have-been’.

1918 W. M. Kirkland Joys of being Woman xix. 223 In the parochial garden the pea is one to tease us always with its might-be and might-have-been.

1931 R. Campbell Georgiad iii. 63 That moonlit people of the might-have-been.

1955 A. L. Rowse Expansion of Elizabethan Eng. 90 The might-have-beens of history are not a very profitable subject.

1974 A. Goddard Vienna Pursuit iii. 174 Overwhelmed with horror for the might-have-been, she paused.

1991 L. Sante Low Life iv. iii. 335 Two events of 1913..contain the humor and retrospectively visible pathos of the time, the sense of might-have-been that wreathes our image of the freewheeling prewar bohemia.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	might-have-been
释义	might-have-beenadj.n. Brit. /ˈmʌɪt(h)əvbiːn/, U.S. /ˈmaɪdə(v)ˌbɪn/ Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: English might , may v.¹, have been , be v. Etymology: < might, past tense of may v.¹ + have been, perfect tense of be v. Compare earlier maybe adv., n., and adj., might-be n. and adj. A. adj. Designating an object, event, fact, etc., that might have existed, happened, or been the case; designating a person who might have filled a particular role, position, etc. That is potential; proposed, postulated. ΚΠ 1803 S. T. Coleridge Let. 17 Feb. (1956) II. 931 He has settled both his Might-have-been-lawsuits. 1933 Econometrica 1 424 The cost of commodity A is the cost of might-have-been commodity B is the cost of might-have-been commodity C. 1956 W. H. Auden Old Man's Road With might-be maps of might-have-been campaigns. 1974 R. Thomas Porkchoppers xxvi. 230 The name that symbolized the might-have-been world of Donald Cubbin. 1989 Psychol. Today Sept. 73/1 The reader is left wanting to hear more from might-have-been victims who avoided the acquaintance-rape trap. B. n. A thing or event which might have existed, occurred, or been the case; a person who has failed to be successful; unfulfilled potential. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [noun] > a possible thing or circumstance > in the past might-have-been1848 the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [noun] > a possible thing or circumstance > in the past > person might-have-been1848 the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [noun] > one who or that which is unsuccessful > one who is a failure > one who could have been more successful might-have-been1886 1848 A. H. Clough Bothie of Toper-na-Fuosich iii. 156 He to the great might-have-been upsoaring, sublime and idëal. 1873 T. Hardy Pair of Blue Eyes III. ii. 58 But let us confine our attention to ourselves, not go thinking of might-have-beens. 1886 R. Kipling Departm. Ditties (1888) 19 Boanerges Blitzen, servant of the Queen, Is a dismal failure—is a ‘Might-have-been’. 1918 W. M. Kirkland Joys of being Woman xix. 223 In the parochial garden the pea is one to tease us always with its might-be and might-have-been. 1931 R. Campbell Georgiad iii. 63 That moonlit people of the might-have-been. 1955 A. L. Rowse Expansion of Elizabethan Eng. 90 The might-have-beens of history are not a very profitable subject. 1974 A. Goddard Vienna Pursuit iii. 174 Overwhelmed with horror for the might-have-been, she paused. 1991 L. Sante Low Life iv. iii. 335 Two events of 1913..contain the humor and retrospectively visible pathos of the time, the sense of might-have-been that wreathes our image of the freewheeling prewar bohemia. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.n.1803
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