Subjunctive mood

Subjunctive mood
Subjunctive Sub*junc"tive, a. [L. subjunctivus, fr. subjungere, subjunctum, to subjoin: cf. F. subjonctif. See {Subjoin}.] Subjoined or added to something before said or written. [1913 Webster]

{Subjunctive mood} (Gram.), that form of a verb which express the action or state not as a fact, but only as a conception of the mind still contingent and dependent. It is commonly subjoined, or added as subordinate, to some other verb, and in English is often connected with it by if, that, though, lest, unless, except, until, etc., as in the following sentence: ``If there were no honey, they [bees] would have no object in visiting the flower.'' --Lubbock. In some languages, as in Latin and Greek, the subjunctive is often independent of any other verb, being used in wishes, commands, exhortations, etc. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • subjunctive mood — 1. The subjunctive mood, one of the great shifting sands of English grammar, is a verbal form or mood expressing wish or hypothesis in contrast to fact, and usually denotes what is imagined, wished, demanded, proposed, and so on. In modern… …   Modern English usage

  • Subjunctive mood — In grammar, the subjunctive mood (abbreviated sjv or sbjv) is a verb mood typically used in subordinate clauses to express various states of irreality such as wish, emotion, possibility, judgment, opinion, necessity, or action that has not yet… …   Wikipedia

  • subjunctive mood — noun a mood that represents an act or state (not as a fact but) as contingent or possible • Syn: ↑subjunctive • Hypernyms: ↑mood, ↑mode, ↑modality …   Useful english dictionary

  • subjunctive mood — noun Mood expressing an action or state which is hypothetical or anticipated rather than actual, including wishes and commands. If John were here, he would know what to do. Syn: conjunctive mood …   Wiktionary

  • subjunctive — [səb juŋk′tiv] adj. [LL subjunctivus < L subjunctus, pp. of subjungere, to SUBJOIN] Gram. designating or of the mood of a verb that is used to express supposition, desire, hypothesis, possibility, etc., rather than to state an actual fact (Ex …   English World dictionary

  • subjunctive Grammar — [səb dʒʌŋ(k)tɪv] adjective denoting a mood of verbs expressing what is imagined or wished or possible. Compare with indicative. noun a verb in the subjunctive mood. Derivatives subjunctively adverb Origin C16: from Fr. subjonctif, ive or late L.… …   English new terms dictionary

  • Subjunctive — Sub*junc tive, n. (Gram.) The subjunctive mood; also, a verb in the subjunctive mood. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mood — mood1 [mo͞od] n. [ME < OE mod, mind, soul, courage, akin to Ger mut, mental disposition, spirit, courage < IE base * me , to strive strongly, be energetic > L mos, custom, customary behavior] 1. a particular state of mind or feeling;… …   English World dictionary

  • Mood — (m[=oo]d), n. [The same word as mode, perh. influenced by mood temper. See {Mode}.] 1. Manner; style; mode; logical form; musical style; manner of action or being. See {Mode} which is the preferable form). [1913 Webster] 2. (Gram.) Manner of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • subjunctive — 1520s, mood employed to denote an action or state as conceived and not as a fact, from L.L. subjunctivus serving to join, connecting, from pp. stem of subjungere to append, add at the end, place under, from sub under (see SUB (Cf. sub )) +… …   Etymology dictionary

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