would

1
[ wood; unstressed wuhd ]
See synonyms for would on Thesaurus.com
auxiliary verb
  1. a simple past tense and past participle of will1.

  2. (used to express the future in past sentences): He said he would go tomorrow.

  1. (used in place of will, to make a statement or form a question less direct or blunt): That would scarcely be fair. Would you be so kind?

  2. (used to express repeated or habitual action in the past): We would visit Grandma every morning up at the farm.

  3. (used to express an intention or inclination): Nutritionists would have us all eat whole grains.

  4. (used to express an uncertainty): It would appear that he is guilty.

  5. (used in conditional sentences to express choice or possibility): They would come if they had the fare. If the temperature were higher, the water would evaporate.

  6. would have, (used with a past participle to express unfulfilled intention or preference): I would have saved you some but Jimmy took it all.

verb (used with object)
  1. (used to express a wish): Would he were here!

Idioms about would

  1. would like, (used to express desire):I would like to go next year.

  2. would rather. rather (def. 9).

Origin of would

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English would, wald(e), wold(e), wuld(e), Old English wolde, walde;see origin at will1

confusables note For would

See should.

Words that may be confused with would

Words Nearby would

Other definitions for would (2 of 2)

would2
[ wohld ]

noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use would in a sentence

  • "Capital, capital," his lordship would remark with great alacrity, when there was no other way of escape.

  • Bessires was included because he would never win it at any later date, but his doglike devotion made him a priceless subordinate.

    Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-Pattison
  • You would not think it too much to set the whole province in flames so that you could have your way with this wretched child.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • He was voluble in his declarations that they would “put the screws” to Ollie on the charge of perjury.

    The Bondboy | George W. (George Washington) Ogden
  • And she would be wearing some of the jewels with the white dress—just a few, not many, of course.

British Dictionary definitions for would

would

/ (wʊd, unstressed wəd) /


verb(takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive)
  1. used as an auxiliary to form the past tense or subjunctive mood of will 1

  2. (with you, he, she, it, they, or a noun as subject) used as an auxiliary to indicate willingness or desire in a polite manner: would you help me, please?

  1. used as an auxiliary to describe a past action as being accustomed or habitual: every day we would go for walks

  2. I wish: would that he were here

would

See should

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with would

would

In addition to the idioms beginning with would

  • would rather
  • would that

also see:

  • as luck would have it
  • fly on the wall, would like to be a

Also see underwouldn't.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.