Could

Could
Can Can, v. t. & i.

Note: [The transitive use is obsolete.] [imp. {Could}.] [OE. cunnen, cannen (1st sing. pres. I can), to know, know how, be able, AS. cunnan, 1st sing. pres. ic cann or can, pl. cunnon, 1st sing. imp. c[=u][eth]e (for cun[eth]e); p. p. c[=u][eth] (for cun[eth]); akin to OS. Kunnan, D. Kunnen, OHG. chunnan, G. k["o]nnen, Icel. kunna, Goth. Kunnan, and E. ken to know. The present tense I can (AS. ic cann) was originally a preterit, meaning I have known or Learned, and hence I know, know how. [root]45. See {Ken}, {Know}; cf. {Con}, {Cunning}, {Uncouth}.] 1. To know; to understand. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

I can rimes of Rodin Hood. --Piers Plowman. [1913 Webster]

I can no Latin, quod she. --Piers Plowman. [1913 Webster]

Let the priest in surplice white, That defunctive music can. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To be able to do; to have power or influence. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

The will of Him who all things can. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

For what, alas, can these my single arms? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

M[ae]c[ae]nas and Agrippa, who can most with C[ae]sar. --Beau. & Fl. [1913 Webster]

3. To be able; -- followed by an infinitive without to; as, I can go, but do not wish to.

Syn: {Can but}, {Can not but}. It is an error to use the former of these phrases where the sens requires the latter. If we say, ``I can but perish if I go,'' ``But'' means only, and denotes that this is all or the worst that can happen. When the apostle Peter said. ``We can not but speak of the things which we have seen and heard.'' he referred to a moral constraint or necessety which rested upon him and his associates; and the meaning was, We cannot help speaking, We cannot refrain from speaking. This idea of a moral necessity or constraint is of frequent occurrence, and is also expressed in the phrase, ``I can not help it.'' Thus we say. ``I can not but hope,'' ``I can not but believe,'' ``I can not but think,'' ``I can not but remark,'' etc., in cases in which it would be an error to use the phrase can but. [1913 Webster]

Yet he could not but acknowledge to himself that there was something calculated to impress awe, . . . in the sudden appearances and vanishings . . . of the masque --De Quincey. [1913 Webster]

Tom felt that this was a rebuff for him, and could not but understand it as a left-handed hit at his employer. --Dickens. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Could — (k??d), imp. of {Can}. [OF. coude. The l was inserted by mistake, under the influence of should and would.] Was, should be, or would be, able, capable, or susceptible. Used as an auxiliary, in the past tense or in the conditional present. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • could've — [kood′əv] contraction could have * * * …   Universalium

  • could — /kood/; unstressed /keuhd/, v. 1. a pt. of can1. auxiliary verb. 2. (used to express possibility): I wonder who that could be at the door. That couldn t be true. 3. (used to express conditional possibility or ability): You could do it if you… …   Universalium

  • could of — In normal speech, could have sounds like could ve, which in turn sounds like could of. Not only could of but also may of, might of, should of, and would of are illiteracies. Of is not a verb. I could hav …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • could — verbal auxiliary, past of can Etymology: Middle English couthe, coude, from Old English cūthe; akin to Old High German konda could Date: 13th century used in auxiliary function in the past < we found we could go >, in the past conditional < we… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Could It Be — Eurovision Song Contest 1991 entry Country Malta Artist(s) Georgina Abela, Paul Giordimaina …   Wikipedia

  • could — verb /kʊd/ a) Used to politely ask for permission to do something Before I was blind, I could see very well. b) Used to politely ask for someone else to do something Could I borrow your coat? See Also: can, should, would …   Wiktionary

  • could — v. (F) he could not attend the meeting * * * [kʊd] (F) he could not attend the meeting …   Combinatory dictionary

  • could of — verb Eye dialect misspelling and mispronunciation of could have or couldve …   Wiktionary

  • could'uh — Gullah Words could have …   English dialects glossary

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