could

Use could in a sentence

verb

The definition of could is often used in the place of "can" to show a little doubt.

An example of could is someone asking if they can help someone.
An example of could is saying that something is able to happen if someone does something.

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"Could." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Could.

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Could. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Could

could

pt. of can: he gave what he could give
used as a modal auxiliary in verbal phrases with present or future time reference, generally equivalent to can in meaning and use, with the following functions:
1. expressing esp. a shade of doubt or a lesser degree of ability or possibility: it could be so
2. expressing a lesser degree of permission: could I go?
3. forming the present conditional: it would help if he could wait
4. forming the past conditional: he would have left if he could
5. expressing or suggesting politely less certainty than can: could you wait?

Origin of could

altered (infl. by would, should) from Middle English coud from Old English cuthe (akin to Gothic kuntha, Old High German konda, Old Norse kunna), past tense of cunnan, to be able: see can

pt. of can: he gave what he could

[Obs.] pt. of can

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MLA Style

"Could." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Could.

APA Style

Could. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Could

could

aux.v.

Past tense of can¹

Used to indicate ability or permission in the past: I could run faster then. Only men could go to the club in those days.
Used with hypothetical or conditional force: If we could help, we would.
Used to indicate tentativeness or politeness: I could be wrong. Could you come over here?

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Could." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Could.

APA Style

Could. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Could

Verb

simple past tense of can
1. Used as a past indicative.
  Before I was blind, I could see very well.
2. Used as a past subjunctive (irrealis).
  I think he could do it if he really wanted to.
  I wish I could fly!
Used to politely ask for permission to do something.
Could I borrow your coat?
Used to politely ask for someone else to do something.
Could you proofread this email?
Used to show the possibility that something might happen.
We could rearrange the time if you like.
Used to suggest something.
You could try adding more salt to the soup.

Anagrams

cloud

Origin

From Middle English coude, from Old English cuþ, preterite form of cunnan (“to be able”). The addition of the silent 'l' was likely a misappropriation attempting to normalize with modal verbs will/would and shall/should. However, while the letter l was historically pronounced in the latter two, can never did have an l sound in it.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.