Definitions for should
ʃʊdshould

Wiktionary(4.60 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. shouldnoun

   A statement of what should be the case as opposed to what is the case.

2. shouldverb

   Be obliged to; have an obligation to; ought to;

3. shouldverb

   Will likely (become or do something);

   You should be warm enough with that coat.

4. shouldverb

   A variant of would.

5. Etymology: sceolde, preterite form of sculan.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Shouldverb

   Etymology: scude, Dutch; sceoldan , Saxon.

   1. This is a kind of auxiliary verb used in the conjunctive mood, of which the signification is not easily fixed.2. I Should go. It is my business or duty to go.3. If I Should go. If it happens that I go.4. Thou Should’st go. Thou oughtest to go.5. If thou Should’st go. If it happens that thou goest.6. The same significations are found in all the other persons singular and plural.

   Let not a desperate action more engage you
   Than safety should. Ben Jonson, Catiline.

   Some praises come of good wishes and respects, when by telling men what they are, they represent to them what they should be. Francis Bacon.

   To do thee honour I will shed their blood,
   Which the just laws, if I were faultless, should. Edmund Waller.

   So subjects love just kings, or so they should. Dryden.

   I conclude, that things are not as they should be. Jonathan Swift.

   7. Should be. A proverbial phrase of slight contempt or irony.

   The girls look upon their father as a clown, and the boys think their mother no better than she should be. Addison.

   8. There is another signification now little in use, in which should has scarcely any distinct or explicable meaning. It should be differs in this sense very little from it is.

   There is a fabulous narration, that in the northern countries there should be an herb that groweth in the likeness of a lamb, and feedeth upon the grass. Francis Bacon, Nat. History.

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. should

   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 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. Should

   of Shall

2. Should

   used as an auxiliary verb, to express a conditional or contingent act or state, or as a supposition of an actual fact; also, to express moral obligation (see Shall); e. g.: they should have come last week; if I should go; I should think you could go

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Should

   shood, pa.t. of shall. [A.S. sceolde, pa.t. of sceal; cf. Shall.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'should' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #88

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'should' in Written Corpus Frequency: #128

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'should' in Verbs Frequency: #20

How to pronounce should?

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 should in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of should in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of should in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of should in a Sentence

1. Lucy Jones:

   We should be expecting lots of aftershocks and some of them will be bigger than the 3s we've been having so far, i think the chance of having a magnitude 5...is probably greater than 50-50.

2. Manizha Naderi:

   Women in Afghanistan won't go to male gynecologists unless their lives depend on it ... Women won't let male doctors even touch them for regular examinations, instead of investing in pants, people should work on educating the public (both men and women) on health benefits of going to a doctor to give birth.

3. Hampshire Kasich:

   You know what, I've got as much a right as anybody in the Republican Party to define what conservatism means, i was the governor of Ohio that took an $ 8 billion hole and produced a surplus. We've cut taxes more than anybody in the country, and they're wondering about my conservatism ? Maybe I should wonder about theirs.

4. Ben Rhodes:

   By bringing all of these leaders here to the United States, to Sunnylands, we could both finalize what we want to get done in this last year in office, but also send the message going forward that we do believe there should be this level of engagement with Southeast Asia.

5. Conservative Party.The FA:

   We encourage those that oppose this action to reflect on the message you are sending to the players you are supporting, please respect their wishes and remember that we should all be united in the fight to tackle discrimination. Together. They will do their best for you. Please do your best for them.

Popularity rank by frequency of use