Meaning of should | Babel Free

Definitions

1. simple past of shall
   form-of, past
2. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
   auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
3. Used to issue an instruction (traditionally seen as carrying less force of authority than alternatives such as 'shall' or 'must').
   auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
4. To make a statement of what ought to be true, as opposed to reality.
   auxiliary, defective, modal
5. to owe
6. Used to give advice or opinion that an action is, or would have been, beneficial or desirable.
   auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
7. 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.
   auxiliary, defective, modal
8. must, to need to, to have to (rarely used in the conditional with this meaning)
9. 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.
   auxiliary, defective, informal, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
10. should, to ought to, to be supposed to, to be to
11. In questions, asks what is correct, proper, desirable, etc.
    auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
12. should have (in the preterite; having haber follow "deber" is optional and not required)
13. Ought to; expressing expectation.
    auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
14. Indicates that something is expected to have happened or to be the case now.
    auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
15. shall
16. 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.
    auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
17. Used to form a variant of the present subjunctive, expressing a state or action that is hypothetical, potential, mandated, etc.
    auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past, subjunctive
18. An alternative to would with first person subjects.
    auxiliary, defective, formal, literary, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
19. Used to express a conditional outcome.
    auxiliary, defective, formal, literary, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
20. Used to impart a tentative, conjectural or polite nuance.
    auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past
21. Used to express what the speaker would do in another person's situation, as a means of giving a suggestion or recommendation.
    auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past

Equivalents

Examples

“I told him that I should be busy tomorrow.”

“I was astonished at this polite offer, which my modesty induced me to ascribe more to my uniform than to my own merits, and, as I felt no inclination to refuse the compliment, I said that I should be most happy.”

“You should never drink and drive.”

“The law is clear that you should always wear a seat belt.”

“The manual says that this switch should be in the 'off' position.”

“You should go and see that film. I think you'll enjoy it.”

“Should we go and see the police, do you think?”

“She should not have been so rude.”

“You should see his new apartment. It's like a palace!”

“If you think her piano playing is bad, you should hear her sing!”

“What do you think? What should I do?”

“Next month, Clemons will be brought before a court presided over by a "special master", who will review the case one last time. The hearing will be unprecedented in its remit, but at its core will be a simple issue: should Reggie Clemons live or die?”

“They should have finished by now; I'll call them to check.”

“My fruit trees should be in flower, but the cold spring has set them back.”

“They should have it finished by Friday.”

“When you press this button, the pilot flame should ignite.”

“You should be warm enough with that coat.”

“We’re spending the winter in Ibiza. ~ That should be nice.”

“If I should be late, I should hope that you are prepared to go on without me.”

“Should you need extra blankets, you will find them in the closet.”

“It's his proposal that there (should) not be several dozen units.”

“I regret that it should have happened, but I was really shocked that he should say that.”

“'One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night, / But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light; / Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day, / Then look for me by moonlight, / Watch for me by moonlight, / I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way.'”

“It 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.”

“And I'd be a fool right now If I should hurt you girl And I'd be a fool right now If I should leave you girl”

“He is noted for coming up with his 'wager', in which he argued that he was prepared to believe in God on the grounds that he had nothing to lose if he was wrong, and everything to gain should he be right.”

“If I had not been so tired, I should have laughed heartily.”

“"If our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were only with us," said the Lion, "I should be quite happy."”

“"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."”

“"Good God! I don't want another accident here. I should go dotty if I had to face all that again."”

“I should imagine that they have arrived by now.”

“I should think you would apologize.”

“I should be very grateful to receive your prompt reply. (formal or old-fashioned)”

“We should very much like to meet her. (formal or old-fashioned)”

“It didn’t turn out as we intended it should.”

“I should like to dine with him. I dare say he gives famous dinners.”

“It's disgraceful the way that they've treated you. I should write and complain.”

“I'd prefer that she stop shoulding me. I prefer that I stop shoulding me. I prefer that I stop shoulding her.”

“[…] for her to be kind to herself and less susceptible to others shoulding her.”

CEFR level