could

  • 1could — [ weak kəd, strong kud ] modal verb *** Could is usually followed by an infinitive without to : I m glad you could come. Sometimes it is used without a following infinitive: I came as quickly as I could. Could does not change its form, so the… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 2could — W1S1 [kəd strong kud] modal v negative short form couldn t ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(past ability)¦ 2¦(possibility)¦ 3¦(emphasizing your feelings)¦ 4¦(requesting)¦ 5¦(suggesting)¦ 6¦(annoyance)¦ 7 couldn t be better/worse/more pleased etc 8 I couldn t …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 3could — [kood] v.aux. [altered (infl. by WOULD, SHOULD) < ME coud < OE cuthe (akin to Goth kuntha, OHG konda, ON kunna), pt. of cunnan, to be able: see CAN1] 1. pt. of CAN1 [he gave what he could give] 2 …

    English World dictionary

  • 4could — modal auxiliary. 1. See can. It functions as (1) the past tense of can, as in We could see for miles, (2) as a conditional equivalent to would be able to, as in I could take you in the car if you like, and (3) as a more tentative form of can in… …

    Modern English usage

  • 5Could — (k??d), imp. of {Can}. [OF. coude. The l was inserted by mistake, under the influence of should and would.] Was, should be, or would be, able, capable, or susceptible. Used as an auxiliary, in the past tense or in the conditional present. [1913… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6could've — [kood′əv] contraction could have * * * …

    Universalium

  • 7could've — (could have) v. used to express the possibility that one may have been able to do something …

    English contemporary dictionary

  • 8could — could; could·est; …

    English syllables

  • 9could've — [kood′əv] contraction could have …

    English World dictionary

  • 10could|n't — «KUD uhnt», could not …

    Useful english dictionary