wud v.aux. (3rd
sing. would)
past of
WILL(1), used esp.: 1 (in
the 2nd
and 3rd persons, and
often in the 1st: see SHOULD). a in reported
speech (he
said he would be
home by evening). b to express the
conditional mood (they would
have been killed if
they had gone). 2 to express
habitual action (would
wait for her every evening). 3 to express a
question or
polite request (would they like it?; would
you come in, please?). 4 to express
probability (I
guess she would be
over fifty by now). 5 (foll. by
that + clause)
literary to express a
wish (would that you
were here). 6 to express
consent (they would
not help). øwould-be often derog. desiring or aspiring to be (a would-be politician). [OE wolde, past of wyllan: see WILL(1)]