Definitions for could
kʊd; unstressed kədcould

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. couldverb

   simple past tense of can

   Before I was blind, I could see very well.

2. couldverb

   conditional of can Used as a past subjunctive. Used to politely ask for permission to do something. Used to politely ask for someone else to do something. Used to show the possibility that something might happen. Used to suggest something.

   I think he could do it if he really wanted to.

3. Etymology: From Middle English coude, couthe, cuthe, from Old English cūþe, past indicative and past subjunctive form of cunnan ("to be able") (compare related cūþ, whence English couth). The silent 'l' was added in the early 16th century by analogy with should and would, at which time the 'l' in those words was already also silent (and was sometimes not written, leading to shudd, wode, etc).[1]

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Couldthe imperfect preterite of can.

   Was able to; had power to.

   And if I have done well, and as is fitting the story, it is that which I desired; but if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto. 2 Mac. xv. 38.

   What if he did not all the ill he could?
   Am I oblig’d by that t’ assist his rapines,
   And to maintain his murders? John Dryden, Spanish Fryar.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. could

   The English modal verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality (properties such as possibility, obligation, etc.). They can be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness (they do not have participle or infinitive forms) and by their neutralization (that they do not take the ending -(e)s in the third-person singular). The principal English modal verbs are can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, and must. Certain other verbs are sometimes, but not always, classed as modals; these include ought, had better, and (in certain uses) dare and need. Verbs which share only some of the characteristics of the principal modals are sometimes called "quasi-modals", "semi-modals", or "pseudo-modals".

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. could

   Could is a modal verb that is used to indicate possibility or ability in conditional or hypothetical situations. It suggests that something is likely or feasible but not certain, or that someone has the potential or capability to do something.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Could

   of Can

2. Could

   was, should be, or would be, able, capable, or susceptible. Used as an auxiliary, in the past tense or in the conditional present

3. Etymology: [OF. coude. The l was inserted by mistake, under the influence of should and would.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 1 vote

1. Could

   kood, pa.t. of Can. [M. E. coude, couth—A.S. cúðe for cunðe, was able; l is inserted from the influence of would and should.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'could' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #62

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'could' in Written Corpus Frequency: #88

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'could' in Verbs Frequency: #14

Anagrams for could »

1. cloud

How to pronounce could?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say could in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of could in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of could in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of could in a Sentence

1. George Slover:

   Since day one, we've been very skeptical of this deal and the power it could give one company to become a cable and broadband giant, history has shown us how powerful companies look for every angle to avoid or weaken the conditions imposed on their mergers, so the government is going to have to back up these tough conditions with tough enforcement.

2. Emily Peterson:

   I could spend $ 3,000 a month on groceries and not be aware of it, even though I'm a chef and a mom and work hard, I couldn't justify the amount of money that was leaking through.

3. Michelle Bachelet:

   We don't have any problems with supplies, water or sewage up to now, our problem is a respiratory one, from inhaling all of this ash, and the fact that this ash could generate some sort of environmental contamination.

4. Rafael Nadal:

   The level that I kept during the first 45 minutes, you can't really maintain that, it was almost the. top level, the highest level I could play.

5. George Brainard:

   (Silk lighting) just sort of softened the harsh sunlight, and that way I could get really pretty light all day so I wasn't just restricted to shooting in the early morning and late-afternoon hours, i could shoot any time. It just makes a really pretty soft light on the people.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Could
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=could
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Could
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/could
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=could