would-be
[ woo d-bee ]
/ ˈwʊdˌbi /
adjective
wishing or pretending to be: a would-be wit.
intended to be: a would-be kindness.
noun
a person who wishes or pretends to be something: Opera singers and would-bes should practice at least four hours a day.
QUIZZES
IT’S A WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ BONANZA!
This windfall of words will make you rich with knowledge. Mine your memory on the words from July 27 to August 2!
Question 1 of 7
What does "scattergood" mean?
a person who acts as though he or she knows everything and who dismisses the opinions, comments, or suggestions of others.
a person who spends possessions or money extravagantly or wastefully; spendthrift.
a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUTOrigin of would-be
1250–1300; Middle English (adj.)
Words nearby would-be
wotton, wouk, would, would rather, would that, would-be, wouldn't, wouldn't dream of, wouldst, woulfe bottle, wound
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for wouldbe
July 17: A little upset by the episode of the wouldbe assassin, I decided to go up to London for the day.
Greener Than You Think|Ward MooreMany criminals are acquitted who wouldbe convicted if the penalty were imprisonment.
Public Speaking|Clarence StrattonA big word that Mr. Wouldbe uses where Mr. Is uses the little word live.
The Verbalist|Thomas Embly Osmun, (AKA Alfred Ayres)
British Dictionary definitions for wouldbe
would-be
adjective (prenominal)
usually derogatory wanting or professing to bea would-be politician
intended to bewould-be generosity
noun
derogatory a person who wants or professes to be something that he is not
Indian the person to whom one is is engaged to be married; fiancé or fiancée
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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