SHOULD


Meaning of SHOULD in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ shəd, ˈshu̇d ]

verbal auxiliary, past of shall

Etymology: Middle English sholde, from Old English sceolde owed, was obliged to, ought to

Date: before 12th century

1. — used in auxiliary function to express condition

if he should leave his father, his father would die — Genesis 44:22 (Revised Standard Version)

2. — used in auxiliary function to express obligation, propriety, or expediency

'tis commanded I should do so — Shakespeare

this is as it should be — H. L. Savage

you should brush your teeth after each meal

3. — used in auxiliary function to express futurity from a point of view in the past

realized that she should have to do most of her farm work before sunrise — Ellen Glasgow

4. — used in auxiliary function to express what is probable or expected

with an early start, they should be here by noon

5. — used in auxiliary function to express a request in a polite manner or to soften direct statement

I should suggest that a guide…is the first essential — L. D. Reddick

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.