should

should
verbal auxiliary, past of shall Etymology: Middle English sholde, from Old English sceolde owed, was obliged to, ought to Date: before 12th century 1. — used in auxiliary function to express condition <
if he should leave his father, his father would die — Genesis 44:22 (Revised Standard Version)
>
2. — used in auxiliary function to express obligation, propriety, or expediency <
'tis commanded I should do so — Shakespeare
>
<
this is as it should be — H. L. Savage
>
<
you should brush your teeth after each meal
>
3. — used in auxiliary function to express futurity from a point of view in the past <
realized that she should have to do most of her farm work before sunrise — Ellen Glasgow
>
4. — used in auxiliary function to express what is probable or expected <
with an early start, they should be here by noon
>
5. — used in auxiliary function to express a request in a polite manner or to soften direct statement <
I should suggest that a guide…is the first essential — L. D. Reddick
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • should — [ ʃud ] modal verb *** Should is usually followed by an infinitive without to : You should eat more fresh fruit. Sometimes should is used without a following infinitive: I don t always do everything I should. Should does not change its form, so… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • should — W1S1 [ʃəd strong ʃud] modal v negative short form shouldn t ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(right thing)¦ 2¦(advice)¦ 3¦(expected thing)¦ 4¦(correct thing)¦ 5¦(orders)¦ 6¦(after that )¦ 7¦(possibility)¦ 8¦(imagined situations)¦ 9¦(request …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • should — [shood] v.aux. [ME scholde < OE sceolde, pt. of sceal, scal, I am obliged: see SHALL] 1. pt. of SHALL [I had hoped I should see you] 2. used to express obligation, duty, propriety, or desirability [you should ask first, the plants should be… …   English World dictionary

  • Should — (sh[oo^]d), imp. of {Shall}. [OE. sholde, shulde, scholde, schulde, AS. scolde, sceolde. See {Shall}.] Used as an auxiliary verb, to express a conditional or contingent act or state, or as a supposition of an actual fact; also, to express moral… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • should — ► MODAL VERB (3rd sing. should) 1) used to indicate obligation, duty, or correctness. 2) used to indicate what is probable. 3) formal expressing the conditional mood. 4) used in a clause with ‘that’ after a main clause describing feelings. 5)… …   English terms dictionary

  • should of — This erroneous form of should have arises in all English speaking countries because the contracted form should ve is indistinguishable from it in speech. It is often associated with the speech of children or poorly educated adults: • Well, you… …   Modern English usage

  • should — should; should·er·er; should·na; …   English syllables

  • should've — [shood′əv] contraction should have * * * …   Universalium

  • should've — (should have) v. used to express the possibility that one ought to have done something …   English contemporary dictionary

  • should've — [shood′əv] contraction should have …   English World dictionary

  • should|n't — «SHUD uhnt», should not …   Useful english dictionary

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