could
Meaning
-
- simple past of can
- conditional of can
- conditional of can
- conditional of can
- conditional of can
- conditional of can
- past participle of can
Synonyms
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/kʊd/
Etymology
From Middle English coude, couthe, cuthe, from Old English cūþe, past indicative and past subjunctive form of cunnan (“to be able”) (compare related cūþ, whence English couth). The 'l' was added in the early 16th century by analogy with should and would; this was probably helped by the tendency for 'l' to be lost in those words (and so not written, leading to shudd, wode, etc).
New
can
-
- To know how to; to be able to.
- (informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to.
- To have the potential to; be possible.
- Used with verbs of perception.
- (obsolete) To know.
- To be (followed by a word like able, possible, allowed).
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