Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definitions: Would-be |
Would-beAdjective1. Seeking advancement or recognition. 2. Unfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "would-be" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1588. (references) |
Synonyms: Would-beSynonyms: aspirant (adj), aspiring(p) (adj), manque (adj), wishful (adj), would-be(a) (adj). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Insolence | Precocious, assuming, would-be, bumptious. |
Undueness | Improper; unmeet, unfit, unbefitting, unseemly; unbecoming, misbecoming; seemless; contra bonos mores; not the thing, out of the question, not to be thought of; preposterous, pretentious, would-be. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Would-be |
| English words defined with "would-be": Carter ♦ Forewit ♦ garbage carter, garbage hauler. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "would-be": NSA line eater. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | There's a would-be killer up there! (Captain Nice; writing credit: Norman Klenman) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Dr. Twister's Device for Retaining Timorous Would-be Patients. / F.M. Howarth. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |  | The would-be mayor preparing to quell a riot. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Some of the delights in store for the would-be builder. Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Author | Date | Quotation |
Communist Manifesto | 1848 | The theoretical conclusions of the Communists are in no way based on ideas or principles that have been invented, or discovered, by this or that would-be universal reformer. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Preimplantation genetic screening, using molecular genetic screening of in vitro fertilized embryos followed by implantation of embryos that are free of the disorder, may be available to would-be parents in the near future. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Maldives | In the past, would-be converts have been detained and counseled regarding their conversion from Islam. (references) |
Australia | During the year, ships carrying would-be asylum seekers were denied permission to enter the country's ports (or territorial waters). (references) | |
Russia | There continued to be widespread ignorance of refugee law both on the part of officials (MVD, EMERCOM, and Border Guards) and would-be petitioners. (references) | |
Economic History | Kenya | High U.S. prices also discourage would-be importers. (references) |
Libya | This plan has been moderately well received, although more powerful would-be participants such as Nigeria and South Africa are skeptical. (references) | |
Laos | THE RELIABILITY OF SOME UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATIONS AVAILABLE VARIES, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF UNCERTAINTY AND AMBIGUITY AMONG WOULD-BE FOREIGN INVESTORS. (references) | |
Human Rights | China | The campaign against the China Democracy Party, a would-be opposition party that began in 1998, continued during the year. (references) |
Pakistan | Persons who attempted to approach the site of the rally on March 23 were prevented from doing so by the police, who at times beat would-be participants. (references) | |
Political Economy | Kazakhstan | The Government disqualified two would-be opponents from running on the grounds that they had participated in an unsanctioned political meeting. (references) |
Political Rights | Maldives | Would-be nominees for president are not permitted to campaign for the nomination. (references) |
Travel | Guatemala | It is generally accepted advice not to resist a would-be thief or mugger. (references) |
Worker Rights | Cuba | These provisions were directed primarily at persons engaging in organized smuggling of would-be emigrants. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Would-be" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Would-be" is used about 782 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 100% | 782 | 8,845 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "would-be": would-be-bowlers, would-be-fashion, would-be-leaders, would-be-love, would-be-steamy. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "would-be"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | политикан (dabbler in politics, intriguer, would-be politician). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 想成为. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | telefonisk nødhjælpstjeneste (telephone service for would-be suicides). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | telefonische dienst voor zelfmoordpreventie (telephone service for would-be suicides). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | service de prévention contre les suicides (telephone service for would-be suicides), dotation générale pour perte éventuelle (general provision in respect of would-be loss). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Telefonseelsorge | Telephonseelsorge (telephone service for would-be suicides), Schreibling (would-be poet), attentäter (assassin, assassins, would-be assassin), allgemeine Wertberichtung für möglichen Verlust (general provision in respect of would-be loss). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | επίδοξος (heir apparent). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | leendő (expectant, future, prospective). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | servizio telefonico per la prevenzione dei suicidi (telephone service for would-be suicides). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 自称 (calling oneself, self-styled), 似非 (false, mock, pretended, pseudo, quasi, sham, spurious). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | じしょう (calling oneself, following chapter, matter, phenomenon, second in command, self-styled, time bell), えせ (false, mock, pretended, pseudo, pseudo-, quasi, sham, spurious). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | ould-beway serviço telefónico de prevenção do suicídio (telephone service for would-be suicides). (various references) se pretinde poet (he is a would-be poet). (various references) претендующий на. (various references) pametnjaković (smart, would-be scholar). (various references) şair bozuntusu (poetaster, rhymer, rhymester, would-be poet). (various references) thích trở th nh; thích l m ra vẻ; cứ l m ra vẻ, muốn trở th nh. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "b-d-e-l-o-u-w" | |
-1 letter: blowed, bowled, double. | |
-2 letters: below, blued, boule, bowed, bowel, dowel, elbow, lobed, lowed, lubed, would. | |
-3 letters: bedu, bled, blew, blow, blue, bode, bold, bole, bowl, dole, duel, leud, lewd, lobe, lode, loud, lowe, lube, lude, owed, weld, wold. | |
-4 letters: bed, bel, bod, bow, bud, deb, del, dew, doe, dol, dow, dub, due, duo, eld. | |
| Words containing the letters "b-d-e-l-o-u-w" | |
+1 letter: bluewood. | |
+2 letters: bluewoods, outbawled. | |
+3 letters: furbelowed, outbrawled, tumbledown. | |
+4 letters: belowground. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)57 6F 75 6C 64 2D 62 65 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
|
Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01010111 01101111 01110101 01101100 01100100 00101101 01100010 01100101 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)W o u l d - b e |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0057 006F 0075 006C 0064 002D 0062 0065 |
Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)5781877870156871 |
| Language | Coverage | Language Translations |
Bulgarian | речник, яснота, сила, очертания, дефиниция, транслация, превеждане, предаване, поддаване, тълкуване, огъване, превод | български, български език, българин, 保 利亚, bulgarer, bulgare, 'ούλγαρος, bolgár, bulgaro, болгарский, болгарин, bugarski jezik, bugarski, bugarka, bugarin, bulgaristan ile ilgili, người Bun-ga-ri tiếng Bun-ga-ri |
Chinese | 字典 , 定義 , 定义, 翻译 | китайски, 汉语, 中 , 漢 , 中國 , kineser, Chinois, Chinesisch, Κινέζος, κινέζικα, κινέζικοσ, κινέζοσ, σινικόσ, kínai, cinese, チフス菌 , チャイニーズ , chinês, chinezesc, chinezeşte, chinezã, chinez, китайский, китаец, kineski jezik, kineski, çinli, çince, çin ile ilgili, çin |
Danish | ordbog, deskriptordefinition, oversættelse | датски език, датски, 丹麦语, danois, dänisch, δανικόσ, δανόσ, dán, danese, dinamarquês, danez, датский, danski, danski jezik, danimarkalı, danimarka dili, tiếng Đan-mạch |
Dutch | woordenboek, definitie, translatie | холандски, немски език, холандски език, холандците, немски, 菏蘭語 , 荷兰语, hollandsk, néerlandais, holländisch, ολλανδικόσ, ολλανδόσ, holland, olandese, holandês, olandez, nemţesc, limba olandezã, german, голландский, holanđanin, u škripcu, holandski, alman, eş, flemenkçe, holandaca, hollanda, karı, hollandalı, hollandalılara özgü olan, Hollandali, hollanda'ya ait, ngôn ngữ khó hiểu, "b xã" |
French | dictionnaire, définition, traduction | френски език, френски, 法國 , 法文 , 法語 , 法语, français, französisch, γαλλικόσ, γαλλική γλώσσα, γαλλίδα, γάλλοσ, francia, francese, フレコン化 , 仏文 , フランス" , 仏 , ふつぶ", ふつ, フレンチ , フランセ , francês, francezii, franţuzesc, francezã, francez, franţuzeşte, французский, francuski jezik, francuski, francuzi, fransızca, fransız, Fransiz, fransızca ile ilgili, fransa ile ilgili |
German | wörterbuch, Übersetzung | германски, немски език, немски, немец, роден, готически, германец, 德语, 德國 , 德文 , 德語 , tysker, Duitse, allemand, deutsch, Deutsche, "ερμανός, német, tedesco, ジプシー音楽 , ジャーマン , alemão, neamţ, немецкий, germanski, alman, $sisters german$ chị em ruột, $cousin german$ anh chị em con chú bác ruột, sister |
Greek | λεξικό, ορισμός, μετάφραση | гръцки език, гръцки, грък, 希腊语, 希臘語 , græker, grec, grieche, ελληνικόσ, 'Ελληνας, görög, greco, ギリシア語 , ギリシア", grego, greacã, греческий, грек, grčki, grk, grčki jezik, yunanistan'a ait, yunanca, yunan, Yunanli, yunanlı, Rumca, rum, quân bạc bịp tôi không thể hiểu được điều đó thật l kỳ phùng địch thủ, kẻ lừa đảo, kẻ cắp b gi gặp nhau, người Hy-lạp tiếng Hy-lạp kẻ bịp bợm |
Hungarian | szótár, meghatározás, definíció, fordítás | унгарски език, унгарски, унгарец, 匈牙利语, 匈牙利語 , ungarer, Hongaarse, hongrois, Ungar, Ούγγρος, magyar, ungherese, unguresc, limba ungarã, limba maghiarã, ungureşte, ungur, maghiar, венгр, венгерский, mađarski jezik, mađarski, mađar, macarca, macar, người Hung-ga-ri tiếng Hung-ga-ri |
Italian | dizionario, definizione, traduzione | италиански език, италиански, италианец, 意大利 , 意大利語 , 意大利语, italiener, italien, italienisch, Ιταλός, olasz, italiano, italienesc, italieneşte, italian, italianã, итальянский язык, итальянец, итальянский, italijan, italijanski jezik, italijanski, italyanca, italyan |
Japanese Kanji | 辭典 , 辞典 , 字引 , 辞林 , 字書 , ディーゼル電気車 , 言海 , 辞彙 , 辞書 , 確定 , ディーゼル電気車 , デ'ドロ酢酸 , 翻訳 | японски език, японци, японски, 日語 , 日语, 日本 , 日文 , 倭 , Japonais, japaner, japanisch, ιαπωνικόσ, Ιάπωνας· "ιαπωνέζος, ιάπωνεσ, ιάπων, ιαπωνικά, japán, giapponese, 邦語 , 邦人 , ジャスミン茶 , ほう", ジャパニーズ , ほうじ", japonês, japonezã, японский, японец, japanski, japanski jezik, japanac, Japonca, người Nhật bản tiếng Nhật bản |
Japanese Katakana | じい, じびき, じて", ディクショナリー , じり", じしょ, '"かい, ディクショナリ , デフィニション , ディフィニション , ていぎ, かくてい, へい"ういどう, やくじゅつ, トランスレーション , やくしょ, やくしゅつ, "うどく, ほ"やく, ほ"やくしょ | японски език, японци, японски, 日語 , 日语, 日本 , 日文 , 倭 , Japonais, japaner, japanisch, ιαπωνικόσ, Ιάπωνας· "ιαπωνέζος, ιάπωνεσ, ιάπων, ιαπωνικά, japán, giapponese, 邦語 , 邦人 , ジャスミン茶 , ほう", ジャパニーズ , ほうじ", japonês, japonezã, японский, японец, japanski, japanski jezik, japanac, Japonca, người Nhật bản tiếng Nhật bản |
Portuguese | dicionário, definição, tradução | португалски, португалски език, португалец, 葡萄牙語 , 葡萄牙人 , 葡萄牙语, portugiser, portugais, portugiesisch, πορτογάλοσ, ορτογάλος, portugál, portoghese, ポルトガル語 , ポルトガル", português, portughez, португальский, portugalski jezik, portugalac, portugalski, portekizce, portekiz, Portekízlí, portekizli, người B"-đ o-nha tiếng B"-đ o-nha |
Romanian | dicţionar, definiţie, determinare, definire, translaţie, traducere, tãlmãcire | румънски език, румънски, румънец, 罗马尼亚语, rumæner, Roemeens, Roumain, rumäne, ρουμανόσ, Ρουμάνος, román, rumeno, romeno, român, румынский, румын, rumunski jezik, rumunski |
Russian | словарь, определение, трансляция, сдвиг, перевод, перемещение | руски език, руски, руснак, 俄語 , 俄文 , 俄语, russer, Russe, russisch, Ρώσος, orosz, russo, ロシア語 , ロシア", русский, ruski jezik, ruski, Rusça, người Nga tiếng Nga |
Serbo-Croatian | leksikon, rečnik, definicija, tumačenje | 塞"维亚-克罗地亚语, 塞爾維亞克羅地亞語 , serbokroatisch, servo-croata, sârbo-croat, srpsko-hrvatski jezik, srpsko-hrvatski |
Turkish | sözlük, ansiklopedik sözlük, açıklama, belirleme, belirtme, kesinleştirme, tanım, tarif, seçiklik, tanımlama, tercüme | турски език, турски, 土耳其語 , 土耳其, turque, türkisch, τούρκικοσ, török, turcesc, turc, турецкий, turski jezik, turski, türkçe, türk, tiếng Thổ nhĩ kỳ |
Vietnamese | có tính chất sách vở, sự định rõ, sự định nghĩa, lời định nghĩa sự định, sự dịch, sự biến th nh sự giải thích | виетнамски език, виетнамски, 越南語 , 越南语, 越南 , vietnameser, vietnamien, vietnamesin, vietnamesisch, vietnamese, 'ιετναμέζος, vietnami, vietnámi, ベトナ 人 , ベトナ じ", vietnamita, вьетнамский, vijetnamski jezik, vijetnamski, vijetnamac, vietnamlı, vietnam dili, vietnam, người Việt nam tiếng Việt |
English | Dictionary, Definition, Translation | английски език, английски, англичаните, 英语, 英國 , 英文 , 英 , 英語 , anglais, englisch, εγγλέζοσ, αγγλικόσ, angol, inglese, inglês, englezesc, английский, engleski, englez, engleski jezik, ingiltere, ingiliz, Íngílízce, ingilizce, Íngílíz, ýngilizce |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Historic 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Usage Frequency 10. Expressions 11. Translations: Modern 12. Anagrams | 13. Orthography 14. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
