Would

Definition: Would

Would

Verb

1. Expresses conditionality or possibility; "I would accept the offer if you upped the salary a bit".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "would" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references)

Tips from 1870

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Crosswords: Would

Yeah, that would be great (American Pie; writing credit: Adam Herz)

What would your wife think (A Time to Kill; writing credit: Akiva Goldsman)

Yeah, would you (American Beauty; writing credit: Alan Ball)

If I were you, I would hope that we don't meet again (The Matrix Reloaded; writing credit: Andy Wachowski; Larry Wachowski)

She and the infant had been buried less than half a year; I would have been happy to join them (Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles; writing credit: Anne Rice)

Would I lie to you honey (Would I Lie To You?; performing artist: Eurythmics)

I would give my life just for a little death (Angels Would Fall; performing artist: Melissa Etheridge)

What would happen if we kissed (What Would Happen; performing artist: Meredith Brooks)

Now I, I wish it would rain down, down on me (I Wish It Would Rain Down; performing artist: Phil Collins)

A change would do you good (A Change (Would Do You Good); performing artist: Sheryl Crow)

If man had created man, he would be ashamed of his performance. (references; author: Mark Twain)

A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five. (references; author: Groucho Marx)

If money could talk, it would say goodbye. (references; author: unknown)

Would a fly without wings be called a walk? (references; author: unknown)

If God didn't forgive, Heaven would be empty. (references; author: unknown)

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (references; author: unknown)

If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch? (references; author: unknown)

Would I Ever Like to Work (1974)

God Help the Man Who Would Part with His Land (1971)

The House That Would Not Die (1970)

It Would Serve 'Em Right (1953)

Chums? What Would You Do (1939)

Oh Babe What Would You Say (performing artist: Hurricane Smith)

Angels Would Fall (performing artist: Melissa Etheridge)

What Would Happen (performing artist: Meredith Brooks)

Would You Like To Swing On A Star (performing artist: Maria Muldaur)

I Wish It Would Rain Down (performing artist: Phil Collins)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• Would You Rather : Over 200 Absolutely Absurd Dilemmas to Ponder (reference)

• If You Were With Me, Everything Would Be All Right (reference)

• September 12th: We Knew Everything Would Be All Right (reference)

• What Kind of a God Would Allow a Thing Like This to Happen?!! (reference)

• The Five Weeks of Giuseppe Zangara: The Man Who Would Assassinate FDR (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• Half Japanese - The Band That Would Be King (reference)

• The Sean Connery Collection (Just Cause / Outland / The Man Who Would Be King) (reference)

• The Man Who Would Be King (Widescreen Edition) (reference)

• VeggieTales - Esther Girl Who Would Be Queen (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• It Would Be You (reference)

• The Best Thing for You Would Be Me (reference)

• What Would the Community Think (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

This abnormal mammogram is not necessarily cancerous. Also seen are calcifications through ductal patterns. Patient would be avised to have follow-up at 3-month intervals. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist.

Members of the first National Advisory Cancer Council at the groundbreaking ceremonies at the NCI's building 6 in June, 1938. (Left to right) Francis Wood, C.C Little, James Ewing, Arthur Compton, James Conant, Thomas Parran, and Ludwig Hektoen. This new building, erected on land donated by Mrs. Luke J. Wilson was the fourth to be constructed in the complex that is now the National Institutes of Health. The structure was unique in that year of 1939, with its physical equipment and facilities designed solely for scientific research in a specialized field of science. Building 6 was to house the National Cancer Institute, the first of the nine specialized institutes that would comprise NIH. See also ar003810. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist.

This was one of the facilities in which Plague patients would have been sequestered while undergoing diagnosis and treatment of Plague symptoms. Credit: CDC.

During the study, scientists would collect fleas inoculated with Y. pestis bacteria in order to observe modes of vector disease transmission. Credit: CDC.

If springtime on Earth were anything like it will be on Uranus, we would be experiencing waves ... Credit: NASA.

Computer generated surface view of Gula Mons.For this image, we also have a special treat. Because the vertical scale on theseimages is so exaggerated (a factor of 22.5, remember), we thought you might wantto see what one of them would look like with a more realistic vertical scale.This image ofGula Mons( 8k) has beenaltered to more closely resemble the actual vertical scale. Credit: NASA.

Planting a hydrophone anchor with the cable attached On the GUIDE Hydrophone would pick up sound from RAR TNT explosion. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

The crow's nest at Station Moclips - 215 feet above the ground Note spikes driven into tree - builders would drive spikes and go hand over hand Triangulation party of H. A. Seran According to Seran: "It took men of uncommon nerve to do this work.". Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

I wish folks would keep their pets on leashes! A very large alligator causes the average pedestrian to consider a detour. Credit: America's Coastlines.

Bayou Lafourche was the main channel of the Mississippi River a few thousand years ago. As river bed fills, the river changes course seeking a steeper slope to the sea. If allowed to follow its natural cycle, the Mississippi River would be in the process of changing its course into the bed of the Atchafalaya River. Credit: America's Coastlines.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

And if any one of the five and twenty barons shall have died or departed from the land, or be incapacitated in any other manner which would prevent the foresaid provisions being carried out, those of the said twenty five barons who are left shall choose another in his place according to their own judgment, and he shall be sworn in the same way as the others. (reference)

And why this should not hold in the highest, as well as in the most inferior magistrate, I would gladly be informed. (Second Treatise of Government)

We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. (reference)

Hamilton, of New York,) expressing their unanimous conviction that it might essentially tend to advance the interests of the Union if the States by which they were respectively delegated would concur, and use their endeavors to procure the concurrence of the other States, in the appointment of commissioners to meet at Philadelphia on the Second Monday of May following, to take into consideration the situation of the United States; to devise such further provisions as should appear to them necessary to render the Constitution of the Federal Government adequate to the exigencies of the Union; and to report such an act for that purpose to the United States in Congress assembled as, when agreed to by them and afterwards confirmed by the Legislatures of every State, would effectually provide for the same. (reference)

The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment. (reference)

This doctrine would subvert the very foundation of all written constitutions. (reference)

But you Communists would introduce community of women, screams the whole bourgeoisie in chorus. (reference)

If this dissolution would cause one of the parties substantial prejudice, equitable compensation, calculated solely on the capital employed without taking account of loss of profits, shall be accorded to the prejudiced party. (reference)

This would perhaps double the mobility of the American Navy and Air Force. ("Iron Curtain" Speech)

Segregation with the sanction of law, therefore, has a tendency to [retard] the educational and mental development of negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a racial[ly] integrated school system." Whatever may have been the extent of psychological knowledge at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, this finding is amply supported by modern authority. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Promise me, Pooh, that you won't forget me ever, because if I thought you would, I wouldn't leave

Had you witnessed my behaviour there, I can hardly suppose you would ever have thought well of me again

But my Lady would not be checked

He went the whole length of the expression, and said that he would see him in that extremity first

We would love to stay and help, shouted Ford, picking his way over the mangled debris, only we're not going to.

At the instant, I was only conscious that what would have been a pleasure once was now a hopeless toil

Were this not so it would be superior to intelligence, and the beast would be in possession of a purer light than man.

To bear even the sting of an insect for all eternity would be a dreadful torment

If that was the only sentence I published in my memoirs, it would be a bestseller

I would to God all strifes were well compounded

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Apply corn starch as you would a dusting powder. (references)

Treatment also would have to be continued for a lifetime. (references)

Either condition would render direct antiviral therapy ineffective. (references)

Business

Collection would be cumbersome. (references)

Finally it was ruled that a 10.5 percent VAT would apply. (references)

The next step would be to open a branch office in Saudi Arabia. (references)

Children

Philippines

Congressional leaders said they would wait until the Court's ruling became final before initiating expulsion procedures. (references)

Yemen

The new Minister of State for Human Rights stated in April that the issue of children's rights would be at the top of her agenda. (references)

Malaysia

It also mandates the formation of a children's court, which, the Government stated, would better protect the interests of children. (references)

Civil Liberties

Tunisia

Maaoui did not specify what punishment the agent would receive. (references)

Belarus

The militia would not let him enter despite his valid press credentials. (references)

India

The ruling stipulated that those displaced by the dam would be compensated. (references)

Discrimination

Namibia

Nujoma also declared that homosexuals would not be allowed to enter the country; however, there were no reports of such incidents. (references)

Afghanistan

Those provisions of the 1964 Constitution relating to the monarchy and to the executive and legislative bodies would not apply; however, provisions prohibiting discrimination based on race, sex, and religion would be in effect. (references)

Economic History

Sudan

A constitutional conference would then be convened. (references)

Human Rights

Germany

On hearing the verdict, Klump stated that she would not appeal. (references)

Bangladesh

If convicted, his maximum sentence would have been no more than 10 years. (references)

Hungary

When the man told the officers that he would report their abuse, they beat him further. (references)

Indigenous People

Bangladesh

Part of the land would be taken from the Garo tribals. (references)

Mexico

The ICRC announced that it would likely reduce food assistance after assessing results of the fall harvest. (references)

Bangladesh

The Accord also provided that only "permanent residents" of the Chittagong Hill Tracts would be allowed to vote. (references)

Minorities

Canada

Many members of these communities fear that their rights would be infringed by a sovereign Quebec. (references)

Slovak Republic

For example, 66 percent of the population would not want to have a Roma neighbor, compared to 86 percent in a 1999 poll. (references)

Romania

Due to its substantial influence, few politicians dare to sponsor bills and measures that would oppose the Orthodox Church. (references)

Political Economy

SPAIN

The figure for the entire EU would be somewhat higher. (references)

Pakistan

Musharraf has said that he would respect this timeframe. (references)

Kuwait

Those who failed to register would be considered illegal residents. (references)

Political Rights

Colombia

FARC leader Manuel Marulanda announced that the party would operate secretly. (references)

Liechtenstein

If approved by Parliament, the bill then would be presented to voters in a referendum. (references)

Ghana

The EC refused on the grounds that this would make competition for parliamentary seats unfair. (references)

Trade

Czech Rep

Most would prefer not to use a letter of credit due to its high cost. (references)

Chile

Limitations on capital and profit repatriation would also be eliminated. (references)

Philippines

Any imports in excess of the MAV would be assessed the out-of-quota rate. (references)

Travel

Vietnam

Ms. Jane Doe would typically be addressed as Ms. Jane. (references)

Korea

Thus, Seoul has the selection of deluxe hotels one would expect. (references)

Singapore

Mr. Ho Weng Hee would be addressed as "Mr. Ho" and Ms. Wong Ai Lan as "Ms. Wong". (references)

Women

Ghana

Any person who conceals information about an instance of FGM would be liable. (references)

Maldives

Under Shari'a the penalty would be flogging, banishment, or imprisonment for up to 5 years. (references)

Malaysia

Women's rights activists claimed that a law on sexual harassment would be more effective than a code of practice. (references)

Worker Rights

Philippines

The children earn far less than adults would demand for the same work. (references)

Vanuatu

In the public sector, the Public Service Commission would handle violations. (references)

Singapore

Convicted traffickers would typically be found guilty of violating more than one law. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "would": amaurotic cat's eye blindness of one eye due to various intraocular conditions in which a bright reflection is observed at the pupil as it would appear from the tapetum lucidum of a cat ♦ as good luck would have it ♦ as ill luck would have it ♦ as luck would have it ♦ do as one would be done by ♦ do as you would be done by ♦ do unto others as we would men should do unto us ♦ had it been a bear it would have bitten you ♦ he ran as fast as his legs would carry him ♦ he would not yield an inch ♦ he would rather ♦ how would i know? ♦ i would also like ♦ i would die before i lied ♦ i would give my ears! ♦ i would like ♦ i would like to ♦ i would like to do smth. ♦ i would like to make a toast ♦ i would not do it for the world ♦ i would rather ♦ i would to god it were so! ♦ Interjection: would that ♦ it would be below me ♦ it would be below my dignity to speak to him ♦ it would be better ♦ it would be well ♦ it would be well to try again ♦ look as if butter would not melt in one's mouth ♦ never do to others what you would not have them do to ♦ nobody would ever expect ♦ so would i ♦ that would the place ♦ the best course would be ♦ what in the world! who would have thought it! ♦ what would you like ..? ♦ what would you like? ♦ who would have thought? it beats the Dutch ♦ would be ♦ would be glad of ♦ would fain do ♦ would have it ♦ would i were younger! ♦ would like ♦ would not ♦ would not harm a fly ♦ would not hurt a fly ♦ would rather ♦ would that ♦ would that! ♦ would to god it were so! ♦ would you ♦ would you be so good as to ♦ would you be so good as to ..? ♦ would you be so kind as to ♦ would you believe it? ♦ would you care to ♦ would you have a drink? ♦ would you help me? ♦ would you like a refill? ♦ would you like some help? ♦ would you like some tea? ♦ would you like? ♦ would you mind? ♦ would you please ..? ♦ would you please?. Additional references.

Beginning with "would": would-bc, would-be, would-be assassin, would-be poet, would-be politician, would-be scholar, would-be-bowlers, would-be-fashion, would-be-leaders, would-be-love, would-be-steamy, would-by, would-you-believe-it.

Ending with "would": democracy-would, he-would, matter-would, not-would, planet-would, string-would, there-would, want-would, who-would.

Containing "would": some-would-say, warrior-who-would-kidnap-a-bride, whose-tum-bum-or-thighs-would-you-rather-have.

Afrikaans

wou, wil (be, be willing to, do want, want, will, willingness, wish), sou. (various references)

Albanian

kushtore e will, jam gati të (be about to), e kisha zakon, duhet (behoove, get, have to, it's necessary, must, need, ought). (various references)

Arabic 

‏هل لك أن, ‏تمنى (desiderate, have one's wish, wish, wonder), ‏إرادة (device, volition, will), ‏أراد (care, choose, intend, want, will, wish). (various references)

Breton

vijec'h (you would be), vije (would be), rofec'h (you would give), plijfe (it would please), fellfe (it would want), blijfe (it would please). (various references)

Bulgarian 

щях (should), в отриц. форма изразява отказ, желая (desiderate, desire, like, list, want, will, wish), искам (ask, call for, choose, demand, desire, like, list, please, postulate, request, require, seek, tax, want, will, wilt, wish), изразява учтива молба. (various references)

Catalan

voldria (you would like), agradaria (would like). (various references)

Chinese 

会 (Yi). (various references)

Croatian

bih (wold to be, would to be). (various references)

Czech

vypijete si nìco? (would you have a drink?), rádoby (would be), nejlépe by bylo kdyby (the best course would be), mohl byste (would you), co si přejete? (what would you like?), co si dáte? (what will you have?, what would you like?), byste (you would), bychom (we would). (various references)

Danish

ville (be willing to, want, wish), vil. (various references)

Dutch

wou (wanted), zou. (various references)

Esperanto

preferus (would prefer), estus (would be). (various references)

Estonian

tahaksime (would want), sooviksite (would like), sooviksin (would like, would want), sooviksime (would like), saaksin (would get), oleks (would be). (various references)

Farsi 

میخواستم , میخواستند, تمایل (Gust, Hang, Inclination, List, Pendulum, Preoccupation, Sentiment, Streak, Tendency, Tenor, Tilt, Turquoise, Vein, Yen), خواسته (Desire, Desirous, Request, Want, Wish), ایکاش (May). (various references)

Finnish

haluatteko kupin teetä (would you like a cup of tea?), ei hyödyttäisi (it would serve no purpose), jospa hän tulisi (I wish she would come), jospa hän pian tulisi (if only he would come soon!), jos tapaisin hänet (I would speak to him, if I met him, puhuisin hänelle), jään mieluummin kotiin (I prefer to stay at home, I would rather stay at home), ilmakarkaisu (a more appropriate term would be air quenching, when normalizing results in bainitic or martensitic microstructures), kunpa hän tulisi! (I wish she would come!), haluatteko lisää teetä (would you like some more tea?), olisi (would be), haluatko vielä vähän teetä (would you like some more tea?), haluaisitteko (would you want), haluaisin mieluummin (I would rather have), haluaisin (I would like), hänestä tulisi kelpo sotilas (he would make a good soldier), hän ei ottanut sitä uskoakseen (he would not believe it), hyväntahtoisesti lähettänette minulle (would you please send me), saisimmeko (would we receive?), tahtoisin ennemmin jäädä kotiin (I would rather stay at home), sydämeni oli pakahtua (I thought my heart would break), suosittelisitte (you would recommend), sulkisitteko ikkunan? (would you mind closing the window?), sellaista ei olisi tapahtunut (such a thing would not have happened), se olisi tarkoitukseton purposelessta (it would serve no purpose), kukapa olisi voinut aavistaa (who would have thought it), se olisi asialle eduksi (the matter would benefit by that), tulisitteko (could you come to, would you like to come to), saanko avata ikkunan (do you mind if I open the window?, would you mind if I opened the window?), pyydämme Teitä (we would ask you to), olisin mielelläni tavannut hänet (I would like to have seen him), olisi viisainta lähteä (it would be a wise thing to go, we had better go), olisi välttynyt (would have been avoided), olisi sääli lähteä (it would be a pity to go), se olisi hullutusta (it would be madness). (various references)

Flemish

wilt (want), zou. (various references)

French

vouloir. (various references)

French Canadian

voudrions (would like), voudrais (would like), souhaiterais (would like), serait (would be), préférerais (would prefer), auriez-vous (would you have). (various references)

Galician

gustaríame (I would like to). (various references)

German

würde (dignity, grade, grandeur, honor, honour, laureateship, majesty, portliness, rank, rate, stateliness, title), wollte, würden (dignities). (various references)

Greek 

είθε (May 1), θα (shall, will). (various references)

Guarani

ahasemivéta (I would prefer to go). (various references)

Haitian Creole

ta. (various references)

Hebrew 

מלת עזר להבעת משאלה,תנאי. (various references)

Hungarian

tudott (could, it is known, known), szeretne (to long, to wish). (various references)

Icelandic

myndi. (various references)

Indonesian

akan (ABOUT TO, burr, shall, will). (various references)

Irish

dtaispeánfá (would you show), ba (was, would be, would havebeen), b'fhearr (would be better), bheifí (one would be), bheinn (I would be), bhfágfá (you would leave), bhféadfainn (would I beable), bhfaighfeá (you would get), bhfaighidh (will get), d'féadfadh, ar (at, in, is, on, that is, upon, would be), d'fhéadfainn (I would beable), thógfainn (I would take), labhródh (would speak), mbeadh (would be), mbeifeá (you would be), mholfá, mholfainn, molfá, níor (did not, would not be), nglaofá (you would call), scríobhfá (would you write), d'fhéadfá. (various references)

Italian

voluto (deliberate, intentional), volei, decoro (décor, decency, decorum, dignity, honor, honour, propriety). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

虫も殺さぬ (innocent-looking, looking as though butter would not melt in the mouth), 自称 (calling oneself, self-styled, would-be), 防塵着 (dustproof clothing one would use in a cleanroom), 人笑い (something people would laugh at), 人笑え (something people would laugh at), 満更でもない (not as dissatisfiedashe would have us believe), 流石 (adept, as one would expect, clever, expectations, good), 放題 (as much as you would like to), 当世風に言うと (as we would say nowadays), 似非　 (false, mock, pretended, sham, would-be), 似非 (false, mock, pretended, pseudo, quasi, sham, spurious, would-be). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

ひとわらい (something people would laugh at), ひとわらえ (something people would laugh at), まんざらでもない (not as dissatisfiedashe would have us believe), ぼうじんぎ (dustproof clothing one would use in a cleanroom), さすが (adept, as one would expect, clever, expectations, good), ほうだい (as much as you would like to, battery, fort, Japanesetitle given to foreign work), むしもころさぬ (innocent-looking, looking as though butter would not melt in the mouth), じしょう (calling oneself, following chapter, matter, phenomenon, second in command, self-styled, time bell, would-be), とうせいふうにいうと (as we would say nowadays), えせ (false, mock, pretended, pseudo, pseudo-, quasi, sham, spurious, would-be). (various references)

Korean 

하고자 했다. (various references)

Luganda

kyandinyumye (it would be fun). (various references)

Luxembourgish

géift, géif. (various references)

Manx