Word: should Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English scholde, from Old English sċolde, first and third person preterite form of sċulan (“should,” “have to,” “to owe”), the ancestor of English shall. By surface analysis, shall + -ed. Cognate with German sollte, Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌳𐌰 (skulda), Swedish skulle. Related to Middle English shild and shildy. The loss of /l/ in this word is probably due to weak stress, as in would and could (though in the latter, the /l/ was due to the analogy of the former two). Pronunciation: /ʃəd/, /ʃʊd/, /ʃɵd/, /ʃʉd/, /ʃʊ(l)d/ 1. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: You should never drink and drive. Example: The law is clear that you should always wear a seat belt. 2. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: You should go and see that film. I think you'll enjoy it. Example: Should we go and see the police, do you think? 3. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable. Labels: auxiliary, defective, informal, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: You should see his new apartment. It's like a palace! Example: If you think her piano playing is bad, you should hear her sing! 4. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: What do you think? What should I do? Example: 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? 5. Ought to; expressing expectation. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: They should have finished by now; I'll call them to check. Example: My fruit trees should be in flower, but the cold spring has set them back. 6. Ought to; expressing expectation. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: They should have it finished by Friday. Example: When you press this button, the pilot flame should ignite. 7. Used to form a variant of the present subjunctive, expressing a state or action that is hypothetical, potential, mandated, etc. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past, subjunctive Example: If I should be late, I should hope that you are prepared to go on without me. Example: Should you need extra blankets, you will find them in the closet. 8. An alternative to would with first person subjects. Labels: auxiliary, defective, formal, literary, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: If I had not been so tired, I should have laughed heartily. Example: "If our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were only with us," said the Lion, "I should be quite happy." 9. An alternative to would with first person subjects. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: I should imagine that they have arrived by now. Example: I should think you would apologize. 10. An alternative to would with first person subjects. Labels: auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past, no-present-participle, participle, past Example: It's disgraceful the way that they've treated you. I should write and complain. Example: As this happens to be Saturday it gives you a day's grace. I should go round and see the chiefs to-morrow. Tell them all about it and what I have said.