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".

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. Jacob Lassin:

   We’re talking about a very old city, the center part is densely packed. Even if you’re trying to hit one thing, you could easily hit something else.

2. Larry Hogan:

   The stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another multicar pileup that could potentially help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination.

3. Van Dyke:

   It's a tragedy that could have been prevented with one simple step, at any step during that 20-minute rampage -- if Laquan McDonald had dropped that knife -- Laquan McDonald would have been here today.

4. Ray Lucas:

   My vision I feel is back to normal, it could be better.

5. Jeetendr Sehdev:

   It has less to do with the social media backlash and more to do with the serious nature of the molestation revelations and whether the scenarios could have been prevented that really has America rethinking the Duggar appeal.

Popularity rank by frequency of use