Definition of Could. Meaning of Could. Synonyms of Could

Here you will find one or more explanations in English for the word Could. Also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word Could and, of course, Could synonyms and on the right images related to the word Could.

Definition of Could

Could
Can Can, v. t. & i. Note: [The transitive use is obsolete.] [imp. Could.] [OE. cunnen, cannen (1st sing. pres. I can), to know, know how, be able, AS. cunnan, 1st sing. pres. ic cann or can, pl. cunnon, 1st sing. imp. c[=u][eth]e (for cun[eth]e); p. p. c[=u][eth] (for cun[eth]); akin to OS. Kunnan, D. Kunnen, OHG. chunnan, G. k["o]nnen, Icel. kunna, Goth. Kunnan, and E. ken to know. The present tense I can (AS. ic cann) was originally a preterit, meaning I have known or Learned, and hence I know, know how. [root]45. See Ken, Know; cf. Con, Cunning, Uncouth.] 1. To know; to understand. [Obs.] I can rimes of Rodin Hood. --Piers Plowman. I can no Latin, quod she. --Piers Plowman. Let the priest in surplice white, That defunctive music can. --Shak. 2. To be able to do; to have power or influence. [Obs.] The will of Him who all things can. --Milton. For what, alas, can these my single arms? --Shak. M[ae]c[ae]nas and Agrippa, who can most with C[ae]sar. --Beau. & Fl. 3. To be able; -- followed by an infinitive without to; as, I can go, but do not wish to. Syn: Can but, Can not but. It is an error to use the former of these phrases where the sens requires the latter. If we say, ``I can but perish if I go,' ``But' means only, and denotes that this is all or the worst that can happen. When the apostle Peter said. ``We can not but speak of the things which we have seen and heard.' he referred to a moral constraint or necessety which rested upon him and his associates; and the meaning was, We cannot help speaking, We cannot refrain from speaking. This idea of a moral necessity or constraint is of frequent occurrence, and is also expressed in the phrase, ``I can not help it.' Thus we say. ``I can not but hope,' ``I can not but believe,' ``I can not but think,' ``I can not but remark,' etc., in cases in which it would be an error to use the phrase can but. Yet he could not but acknowledge to himself that there was something calculated to impress awe, . . . in the sudden appearances and vanishings . . . of the masque --De Quincey. Tom felt that this was a rebuff for him, and could not but understand it as a left-handed hit at his employer. --Dickens.
Could
Could Could (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.

Meaning of Could from wikipedia

- the third-person singular). The prin****l English modal verbs are can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will and would. Certain other verbs are...
- could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood". Other—similarly unhelpful—responses include "So much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could...
- The Little Engine That Could is an American fairytale (existing in the form of several illustrated children's books and movies) that became widely known...
- "Could It Be Magic" is a song with lyrics by Adrienne Anderson and music by Barry Manilow, based on Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C minor, Opus 28, Number...
- What's the Worst That Could Happen? is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito. Loosely based...
- Could It Be may refer to: "Could It Be" (Georgina & Paul Giordimaina song), 1991 Eurovision Song Contest entry "Could It Be" (Charlie Worsham song) "Could...
- "someone who was afraid to be alone, who could not hang on to reality long enough to hold a job, and who could rarely concentrate enough to read a book...
- Book of Abraham, and which "made a lasting impression" on him. "If You Could Hie to Kolob" (hie, hurry) is a Latter-day Saint hymn that was written by...
- If Beale Street Could Talk is a 2018 American romantic drama film directed and written by Barry Jenkins, and based on James Baldwin's 1974 novel of the...
- "Because I could not stop for Death" is a lyrical poem by Emily ****inson first published posthumously in Poems: Series 1 in 1890. ****inson's work was...
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