should

Meaning

Verb

1. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
2. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
3. (informal) Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
4. Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
5. Ought to; expressing expectation.
6. Ought to; expressing expectation.
7. Used to form a variant of the present subjunctive, expressing a state or action that is hypothetical, potential, mandated, etc.
8. simple past of shall
9. An alternative to would with first person subjects.
10. An alternative to would with first person subjects.
11. An alternative to would with first person subjects.

Noun

Something that ought to be the case as opposed to already being the case.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ʃʊd/

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). Related to Middle English shild and shildy.

Sentences

Temper is so good a thing that we should never lose it .

Did you ask particularly that you should have yesterday , the Tuesday ?

In What should we Greeks do in the Present Circumstances ?

After writing a bug report , one should regularly check if someone responded .

Anyone planning to travel on a glacier should be trained in crevasse rescue .

Pharmacopoeia standards for medicinal oils should be heeded .