would/wəd/EtymologyFrom Old English wolde, past tense of willan, predecessor of will. The loss of /l/ in this word is probably due to weak stress, as in should and could (though in the latter, the /l/ was due to the analogy of the former two).would means Something that would happen, or would be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 72 out of 100.nounSomething that would happen, or would be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality.“When the golf ball is there, the whole self-interference package — the hopes, worries, and fears; the thoughts on how-to and how-not-to; the woulds, the coulds, and the shoulds — is there too.”verbPast tense of will; usually followed by a bare infinitive.; Used to form the "anterior future", or "future in the past", indicating a futurity relative to a past time.“On my first day at University, I met the woman who would become my wife.”Past tense of will; usually followed by a bare infinitive.; Used to, did repeatedly, habitually; indicates an action that happened several times in the past (cannot describe continuous states, as in I used to live in London)“When we were younger, we would cycle out to the beach most summer Sundays.”Past tense of will; usually followed by a bare infinitive.; Was or were determined to; indicating someone's insistence upon doing something.“I asked her to stay in with me, but she would go out.”Past tense of will; usually followed by a bare infinitive.; Wanted to.“And thenne at laste a-nother sayd that he wolde have eyren. Then the good wyf sayd that she understod hym wel.”Past tense of will; usually followed by a bare infinitive.; Used with ellipsis of the infinitive verb, or postponement to a relative clause, in various senses.“At which time he told me, he would to London that week, and so to Oxford.”Past tense of will; usually followed by a bare infinitive.; Wished, desired (something).