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IF

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if¹

  • /ɪf/
  • /ɪv/

Rhymes with -ɪf

Where it comes from

From Middle English if, yif, yef, from Old English ġif (“if”), from Proto-West Germanic *jabu, *jabē, from Proto-Germanic *jabai (“when, if”). Cognate with Scots gif (“if, whether”), Saterland Frisian af, of (“if, whether”), West Frisian oft (“whether”), Dutch of (“or, whether, but”), Middle Low German ef, if, af, of ("if; whether"; > German Low German of), German ob (“if, whether”), Icelandic ef (“if”).

conjunction eef · ifen · iffen · if'n

  1. Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that; suppositive used to introduce a condition that may be (or prove to be) either true or false. I'll do it next week if I have time.
  2. A keyword that invokes conditional processing: in the event that a given condition is true, execute the given statement(s) (otherwise execute other statements). if A then B else C
  3. Supposing that; used with past or past perfect subjunctive to indicate a counterfactual or hypothetical condition. If she hadn't told me, I wouldn't know.
  4. excessive, usually Even if; even in the circumstances that. I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on earth.
  5. Considering the fact that; given that; introducing a condition that is known to be true. The drain's blocked — and if the drain's blocked, the water won't flow.
  6. When; whenever; every time that. If you heat water to 100° C, it boils.
  7. Although; used to introduce a concession; may..but. He was a great friend, if a little stingy at the bar.
  8. proscribed, sometimes Whether; used to introduce a noun clause, an indirect question, that functions as the direct object of certain verbs. I don't know if I want to go or not.
  9. Introducing a relevance conditional; in case. I have leftover cake if you want some.
  10. rare While; used to introduce a contrast. If his Russian was music, his English was murder.

noun ifs

  1. informal An uncertainty, possibility, condition, doubt etc. The board can't approve this project; there are too many ifs.

IF²

noun IFs

  1. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of interactive fiction.interactive fiction The “Zarfian Cruelty Scale” rates games as Merciful, Polite, Tough, Nasty, or Cruel. The scale describes how works of IF become unwinnable, especially how and when the interactor (here a player, and one trying to win) learns this.
  2. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of impact factor.impact factor
  3. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of intermediate filament.intermediate filament
  4. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of intermediate frequency.intermediate frequency
  5. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of intermittent fasting.intermittent fasting
  6. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of immunofluorescence.immunofluorescence
  7. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of international federation.international federation

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