Etimology
From Middle English scholde, from Old English sċolde, first and third person preterite form of sċulan (“should,” “have to,” “to owe”), the ancestor of English shall. By surface analysis, shall + -ed. Cognate with German sollte, Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌳𐌰 (skulda). Related to Middle English shild and shildy.
verb
should
(auxiliary) Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
(auxiliary) Ought to; expressing expectation.
(auxiliary, subjunctive) Used to form a variant of the present subjunctive, expressing a state or action that is hypothetical, potential, mandated, etc.
(auxiliary) simple past of shall
(auxiliary) An alternative to would with first person subjects.
Examples
You should never drink and drive.
The law is clear that you should always wear a seat belt.
The manual says that this switch should be in the 'off' position.
You should go and see that film. I think you'll enjoy it.
I should exercise more often, but I’m too lazy.
She should not have been so rude.
You should see his new apartment. It's like a palace!
If you think her piano playing is bad, you should hear her sing!
What do you think? What should I do?
Next month, Clemons will be brought before a court presided over by a "special master", who will review the case one last time. The hearing will be unprecedented in its remit, but at its core will be a simple issue: should Reggie Clemons live or die?
They should have finished by now; I'll call them to check.
My fruit trees should be in flower, but the cold spring has set them back.
They should have it finished by Friday.
When you press this button, the pilot flame should ignite.
You should be warm enough with that coat.
If I should be late, go without me.
Should you need extra blankets, you will find them in the closet.
The man demanded that he should be allowed entry.
I'm surprised that he should say that.
'One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night, / But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light; / Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day, / Then look for me by moonlight, / Watch for me by moonlight, / I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way.'
It was a long weary time, for the Boy was too ill to play, and the little Rabbit found it rather dull with nothing to do all day long. But he snuggled down patiently, and looked forward to the time when the Boy should be well again, and they would go out in the garden amongst the flowers and the butterflies and play splendid games in the raspberry thicket like they used to.
And I'd be a fool right nowIf I should hurt you girlAnd I'd be a fool right nowIf I should leave you girl
He is noted for coming up with his 'wager', in which he argued that he was prepared to believe in God on the grounds that he had nothing to lose if he was wrong, and everything to gain should he be right.
I told him that I should be busy tomorrow.
I was astonished at this polite offer, which my modesty induced me to ascribe more to my uniform than to my own merits, and, as I felt no inclination to refuse the compliment, I said that I should be most happy.
If I had not been so tired, I should have laughed heartily.
"If our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were only with us," said the Lion, "I should be quite happy."
"Your Silver Shoes will carry you over the desert," replied Glinda. "If you had known their power you could have gone back to your Aunt Em the very first day you came to this country." "But then I should not have had my wonderful brains!" cried the Scarecrow. "I might have passed my whole life in the farmer's cornfield."
I should imagine that they have arrived by now.
I should think you would apologize.
I should be very grateful to receive your prompt reply.
We should very much like to meet her.
I should like to dine with him. I dare say he gives famous dinners.
It's disgraceful the way that they've treated you. I should write and complain.
Related words
synonyms
(obligation): ought
antonyms
(antonym(s) of "obligation"): shouldn't
related terms
shouldst (archaic second-person singular of should)
should've, shoulda (contraction of auxiliary phrase should have)
one should be so lucky
one should live so long
noun
should (plural shoulds)
Something that ought to be the case as opposed to already being the case.
Examples
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.
However, we can address maladaptive shoulds by examining the differences between prior events, causes, proximate causes, and moral responsibility.
Being a list-o-maniac, I suggested we make a list of the "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts." So in the darkness of hazy sleep, I began to mentally prepare mine. The first item on the "should" side was easy: a sibling for our 3-year-old daughter.
verb
should (third-person singular simple present shoulds, present participle shoulding, simple past and past participle shoulded)
To make a statement of what ought to be true, as opposed to reality. (Can we add an example for this sense?)