would

¹

[ wood; unstressed wuhd ]

auxiliary verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of will ¹.
2. (used to express the future in past sentences):

   He said he would go tomorrow.

3. (used in place of will, to make a statement or form a question less direct or blunt):

   That would scarcely be fair. Would you be so kind?

4. (used to express repeated or habitual action in the past):

   We would visit Grandma every morning up at the farm.

5. (used to express an intention or inclination):

   Nutritionists would have us all eat whole grains.

6. (used to express an uncertainty):

   It would appear that he is guilty.

7. (used in conditional sentences to express choice or possibility):

   They would come if they had the fare. If the temperature were higher, the water would evaporate.

8. would have, (used with a past participle to express unfulfilled intention or preference):

   I would have saved you some but Jimmy took it all.

verb (used with object)

1. (used to express a wish):

   Would he were here!

would

²

[ wohld ]

noun

1. weld ².

would

/ wʊd; wəd /

verb

1. used as an auxiliary to form the past tense or subjunctive mood of will 1
2. withyou, he, she, it, they, or a noun as subject used as an auxiliary to indicate willingness or desire in a polite manner

   would you help me, please?

3. used as an auxiliary to describe a past action as being accustomed or habitual

   every day we would go for walks

4. I wish

   would that he were here

Usage

See should

Confusables Note

See should.

Word History and Origins

Origin of would¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English would, wald(e), wold(e), wuld(e), Old English wolde, walde; will ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. would like, (used to express desire):

   I would like to go next year.

2. would rather. rather ( def 9 ).

More idioms and phrases containing would

• as luck would have it
• fly on the wall, would like to be a
• wouldn't

Example Sentences

Levitsky attended Stanford and then UC Berkeley, and likely would have spent his career in relative obscurity, writing academic tomes about political parties in Argentina.

From Los Angeles Times

‘I would love to just take Khloé out for dinner,’ he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Upon her arrival, Carter was with two friends, whom he told “he would be right back” as he led Penly to his bedroom, the lawsuit says.

From Los Angeles Times

As Castillo would come to learn, the city had quietly launched an investigation to determine if she was a city resident and concluded she was not, kicking her off the council — all without her knowledge.

From Los Angeles Times

“What we need urgently is for the Trump administration to make a federal emergency declaration. This would free up funding to address some of the right-now problems.”

From Los Angeles Times