should

verb shou'd · shoulde

1. past simple past of shall I told him that I should be busy tomorrow.

verb should · shou'd · shoulde

1. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle Used to issue an instruction (traditionally seen as carrying less force of authority than alternatives such as 'shall' or 'must'). You should never drink and drive.
2. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle Used to give advice or opinion that an action is, or would have been, beneficial or desirable. You should go and see that film. I think you'll enjoy it.
3. auxiliary, defective, informal, modal, no past, no present participle With verbs such as 'see' or 'hear', usually in the second person, used to point out something remarkable in either a good or bad way. You should see his new apartment. It's like a palace!
4. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle In questions, asks what is correct, proper, desirable, etc. What do you think? What should I do?
5. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle Indicates that something is expected to have happened or to be the case now. They should have finished by now; I'll call them to check.
6. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle Will be likely to (become or do something); indicates a degree of possibility or probability that the stated thing will happen or be true in the future. They should have it finished by Friday.
7. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle Used to form a variant of the present subjunctive, expressing a state or action that is hypothetical, potential, mandated, etc. If I should be late, I should hope that you are prepared to go on without me.

   Similar: were

8. auxiliary, defective, formal, literary, modal, no past Used to express a conditional outcome. If I had not been so tired, I should have laughed heartily.
9. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle Used to impart a tentative, conjectural or polite nuance. I should imagine that they have arrived by now.
10. auxiliary, defective, modal, no past, no present participle, participle Used to express what the speaker would do in another person's situation, as a means of giving a suggestion or recommendation. It's disgraceful the way that they've treated you. I should write and complain.

Similar: ought · Opposite: shouldn't

verb shoulds · shoulding · shoulded · shou'd · shoulde

1. auxiliary, defective, modal To suggest (that someone ought to do something, or that something ought to be the case) by, or as if by, using the word should. I'd prefer that she stop shoulding me. I prefer that I stop shoulding me. I prefer that I stop shoulding her.

noun shoulds · shou'd · shoulde

1. auxiliary, defective, modal Something that ought to be the case as opposed to already being the case. When the golf ball is there, the whole self-interference package — the hopes, worries, and fears; the thoughts on how-to and how-not-to; the woulds, the coulds, and the shoulds — is there too.