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Could

//kəd// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Something that could happen, or could be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality.

    "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."

Verb
  1. 1
    simple past of can form-of, past

    "Before I was blind, I could see very well."

  2. 2
    conditional of can; Used as a past subjunctive (contrary to fact).

    "I think he could do it if he really wanted to."

  3. 3
    conditional of can; Used to politely ask for permission to do something.

    "Could I borrow your coat?"

  4. 4
    conditional of can; Used to politely ask for someone else to do something.

    "Could you proofread this email?"

  5. 5
    conditional of can; Used to show the possibility that something might happen.

    "Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee."

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  1. 6
    conditional of can; Used to suggest something.

    "You could try adding more salt to the soup."

  2. 7
    past participle of can form-of, participle, past

    "I haven't could sleep."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English coude, couthe, cuthe, from Old English cūþe, past indicative and past subjunctive form of cunnan (“to be able”) (compare related cūþ, whence English couth). Cognate with German konnte, Swedish kunde. The -l- in the spelling was added in the early 16th century by analogy with should and would; this analogy formerly affected the pronunciation as well and was probably assisted by the tendency for /l/ to be lost in those words (and so not written, leading to shudd, wode, etc).

Etymology 2

From Middle English coude, couthe, cuthe, from Old English cūþe, past indicative and past subjunctive form of cunnan (“to be able”) (compare related cūþ, whence English couth). Cognate with German konnte, Swedish kunde. The -l- in the spelling was added in the early 16th century by analogy with should and would; this analogy formerly affected the pronunciation as well and was probably assisted by the tendency for /l/ to be lost in those words (and so not written, leading to shudd, wode, etc).

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