Definitions for Could
kʊd; unstressed kədcould

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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.

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

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. Salaam Remi:

   She probably finished the writing -process a few weeks before she passed, as far as I could see, we had 14 songs. Whatever needed to happen, it was right there.

2. Kim Slate:

   We wanted to be right in the heart of things where we could both attract top digital talent and also work with other technology companies that are right in the area.

3. Harriet Beecher Stowe:

   One would like to be grand and heroic, if one could; but if not, why try at all? One wants to be very something, very great, very heroic; or if not that, then at least very stylish and very fashionable. It is this everlasting mediocrity that bores me.

4. Rob Manfred:

   We left that meeting with a jointly developed framework that we agreed could form the basis of an agreement and subject to conversations with our respective constituents, i summarized that framework numerous times in the meeting and sent Tony a written summary today. Consistent with our conversations yesterday, I am encouraging the clubs to move forward and I trust Tony is doing the same.

5. Christian Noyer:

   If Britain left the EU, the euro area authorities could no longer tolerate such a high proportion of financial activities involving their currency taking place abroad, it is already very difficult for euro members to accept that our currency is largely traded outside the currency area, beyond the control of the ECB.

Popularity rank by frequency of use