Should

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʃʊd/
• Rhymes: -ÊŠd

Alternative forms

• shou’d obsolete

Origin

From Old English sceolde (""), preterite form of sculan ("owe", "be obliged").

Verb

1. (auxiliary) Used to form the future tense of the subjunctive moodIf I should be late, go without me.Should it rain, I shall go indoors.Should you need extra blankets, you will find them in the closet.
• 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen RabbitIt was a long weary time, for the Boy was too ill to play, and the little Rabbit found it rather dull with nothing to do all day long. But he snuggled down patiently, and looked forward to the time when the Boy should be well again, and they would go out in the garden amongst the flowers and the butterflies and play splendid games in the raspberry thicket like they used to.
2. (auxiliary) Be obliged to; have an obligation to; ought to; indicates that the subject of the sentence has some obligation to execute the sentence predicate.You should brush your teeth every day.What do I think? What should I think?
• 2011, April 15, Saj Chowdhury, Norwich 2 - 1 Nott'm Forest, Forest should have equalised before half-time but David McGoldrick scuffed his volley as he attempted to convert McGugan's floated free-kick
3. (auxiliary) Will likely (become or do something); indicates that the subject of the sentence is likely to execute the sentence predicate.You should be warm enough with that coat.
4. (modern) A variant of would.
• 1817, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey‎I should like to dine with him. I dare say he gives famous dinners.
• 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"If our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were only with us," said the Lion, "I should be quite happy."
• 1900, L. Frank Baum , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23"Your Silver Shoes will carry you over the desert," replied Glinda. "If you had known their power you could have gone back to your Aunt Em the very first day you came to this country." "But then I should not have had my wonderful brains!" cried the Scarecrow. "I might have passed my whole life in the farmer's cornfield."

Usage notes

Should has, as its most common meaning in modern English, the sense ought as in I should go, but I don't see how I can. However, the older sense as the subjunctive of the future indicative auxiliary, shall, is often used with I or we to indicate a more polite form than would: I should like to go, but I can't. In much speech and writing, should has been replaced by would In contexts of this kind, but it remains in conditional subjunctives: should (never would) I go, I should wear my new dress.

(obligation) Contrast with stronger auxiliary verb must, which indicates that the subject is required to execute the predicate.

(likely) Contrast with stronger auxiliary verb must, which indicates that the subject certainly will execute the predicate.

See the usage notes at shall.

Synonyms

• (obligation) ought

Antonyms

• (obligation) shouldn't

Related terms

• shoulde (archaic spelling of should)
• shouldst (archaic second-person singular of should)
• should've (contraction of future perfect subjunctive auxiliary phrase should have)

Full definition of should

Noun

1. A statement of what should be the case as opposed to what is the case.
• 2003, Robert L. Leahy, Overcoming Resistance in Cognitive Therapy, However, we can address maladaptive shoulds by examining the differences between prior events, causes, proximate causes, and moral responsibility.