"would-be" meaning in All languages combined

See would-be on Wiktionary

Adjective [English]

IPA: /ˈwʊd biː/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-would-be.wav [Southern-England]
Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} would-be (not comparable)
  1. Attempting or desiring something. Tags: not-comparable Translations (attempting or desiring something): sasi- (Basque), претендиращ (pretendirašt) (Bulgarian), pseudo- (French), en puissance (French), möchtegern (German), pseudo- (German), leendő (Hungarian), jövendőbeli (Hungarian), aspirujący (Polish), мечтающий (mečtajuščij) (Russian), претендующий (pretendujuščij) (Russian)
    Sense id: en-would-be-en-adj-ay3dXbHZ Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 28 21 28 23 Disambiguation of 'attempting or desiring something': 97 3
  2. Unfulfilled; frustrated in realizing a goal, ambition, etc. Tags: not-comparable Translations (unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition): неуспял (neuspjal) (Bulgarian), soi-disant (French), niedoszły (Polish), несостоявшийся (nesostojavšijsja) (Russian)
    Sense id: en-would-be-en-adj-tk4yq~L6 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 28 21 28 23 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 23 32 23 23 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 22 34 22 23 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 21 33 22 23 Disambiguation of 'unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition': 7 93
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Coordinate_terms: wannabe, might-be

Noun [English]

IPA: /ˈwʊd biː/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-would-be.wav [Southern-England] Forms: would-bes [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun}} would-be (plural would-bes)
  1. One who aspires to something. Categories (topical): People Synonyms: wannabe
    Sense id: en-would-be-en-noun-ZdT1eXNk Disambiguation of People: 1 1 95 3 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 28 21 28 23
  2. (India) One's fiancé or fiancée. Tags: India
    Sense id: en-would-be-en-noun-6~XtUr8~ Categories (other): Indian English, English entries with incorrect language header, English exocentric compounds Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 28 21 28 23 Disambiguation of English exocentric compounds: 22 22 23 33

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for would-be meaning in All languages combined (7.8kB)

{
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "wannabe"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "might-be"
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "would-be (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "28 21 28 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Would-be marines have to get through a rigorous examination.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1951 February, “Notes and News: Lynton & Barnstaple Remains”, in Railway Magazine, page 136",
          "text": "Pilton Yard, the Lynton & Barnstaple headquarters, has been taken over by a fur trading firm, and would-be trespassers to the old engine-shed are turned back by the pungent odour of heaps of carcases.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2019 May 9, Edward Helmore, “Anna Sorokin: fake German heiress sentenced to up to 12 years in prison”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "Sorokin, a would-be art collector, planned to open a members-only arts club but became known as the “Soho grifter” after her deception upon New York’s glitzy social scene came to light.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Attempting or desiring something."
      ],
      "id": "en-would-be-en-adj-ay3dXbHZ",
      "links": [
        [
          "Attempting",
          "attempting"
        ],
        [
          "desiring",
          "desiring"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "eu",
          "lang": "Basque",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "sasi-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "pretendirašt",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "претендиращ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "pseudo-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "en puissance"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "möchtegern"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "pseudo-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "leendő"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "jövendőbeli"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "aspirujący"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "mečtajuščij",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "мечтающий"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pretendujuščij",
          "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
          "word": "претендующий"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "28 21 28 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 32 23 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 34 22 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 33 22 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Would-be film stars often become waitresses.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 27",
          "text": "It was not till the rays of the sun had absorbed the young stranger's retreating figure on the hill that she shook off her temporary sadness and answered her would-be partner in the affirmative.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1945 Sept, Richard S. Shaver, Science Fiction Adventure Classics, published 1972, page 26, column 1",
          "text": "[T]he envy of all the would-be beautiful of the Nor empire.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Unfulfilled; frustrated in realizing a goal, ambition, etc."
      ],
      "id": "en-would-be-en-adj-tk4yq~L6",
      "links": [
        [
          "Unfulfilled",
          "unfulfilled"
        ],
        [
          "frustrated",
          "frustrated"
        ],
        [
          "realizing",
          "realizing"
        ],
        [
          "goal",
          "goal"
        ],
        [
          "ambition",
          "ambition"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "neuspjal",
          "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
          "word": "неуспял"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
          "word": "soi-disant"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
          "word": "niedoszły"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "7 93",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nesostojavšijsja",
          "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
          "word": "несостоявшийся"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊd biː/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-would-be.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "would-be"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "would-bes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "would-be (plural would-bes)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "28 21 28 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 1 95 3",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1912, Elbert Hubbard, Hollyhocks and Goldenglow",
          "text": "The would-bes are very sure that the managers have it in for them; just as most young writers regard publishers as being in conspiracy against budding genius.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who aspires to something."
      ],
      "id": "en-would-be-en-noun-ZdT1eXNk",
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "wannabe"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Indian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "28 21 28 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 22 23 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English exocentric compounds",
          "parents": [
            "Exocentric compounds",
            "Compound terms",
            "Terms by etymology"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One's fiancé or fiancée."
      ],
      "id": "en-would-be-en-noun-6~XtUr8~",
      "links": [
        [
          "fiancé",
          "fiancé"
        ],
        [
          "fiancée",
          "fiancée"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(India) One's fiancé or fiancée."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "India"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊd biː/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-would-be.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "would-be"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English exocentric compounds",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "en:People"
  ],
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "word": "wannabe"
    },
    {
      "word": "might-be"
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "would-be (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Would-be marines have to get through a rigorous examination.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1951 February, “Notes and News: Lynton & Barnstaple Remains”, in Railway Magazine, page 136",
          "text": "Pilton Yard, the Lynton & Barnstaple headquarters, has been taken over by a fur trading firm, and would-be trespassers to the old engine-shed are turned back by the pungent odour of heaps of carcases.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2019 May 9, Edward Helmore, “Anna Sorokin: fake German heiress sentenced to up to 12 years in prison”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "Sorokin, a would-be art collector, planned to open a members-only arts club but became known as the “Soho grifter” after her deception upon New York’s glitzy social scene came to light.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Attempting or desiring something."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Attempting",
          "attempting"
        ],
        [
          "desiring",
          "desiring"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Would-be film stars often become waitresses.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 27",
          "text": "It was not till the rays of the sun had absorbed the young stranger's retreating figure on the hill that she shook off her temporary sadness and answered her would-be partner in the affirmative.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1945 Sept, Richard S. Shaver, Science Fiction Adventure Classics, published 1972, page 26, column 1",
          "text": "[T]he envy of all the would-be beautiful of the Nor empire.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Unfulfilled; frustrated in realizing a goal, ambition, etc."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Unfulfilled",
          "unfulfilled"
        ],
        [
          "frustrated",
          "frustrated"
        ],
        [
          "realizing",
          "realizing"
        ],
        [
          "goal",
          "goal"
        ],
        [
          "ambition",
          "ambition"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊd biː/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-would-be.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "eu",
      "lang": "Basque",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "sasi-"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "pretendirašt",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "претендиращ"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "pseudo-"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "en puissance"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "möchtegern"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "pseudo-"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "leendő"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "jövendőbeli"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "aspirujący"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "mečtajuščij",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "мечтающий"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pretendujuščij",
      "sense": "attempting or desiring something",
      "word": "претендующий"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "neuspjal",
      "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
      "word": "неуспял"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
      "word": "soi-disant"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
      "word": "niedoszły"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nesostojavšijsja",
      "sense": "unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition",
      "word": "несостоявшийся"
    }
  ],
  "word": "would-be"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English exocentric compounds",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "en:People"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "would-bes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "would-be (plural would-bes)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1912, Elbert Hubbard, Hollyhocks and Goldenglow",
          "text": "The would-bes are very sure that the managers have it in for them; just as most young writers regard publishers as being in conspiracy against budding genius.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who aspires to something."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "wannabe"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Indian English"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One's fiancé or fiancée."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "fiancé",
          "fiancé"
        ],
        [
          "fiancée",
          "fiancée"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(India) One's fiancé or fiancée."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "India"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊd biː/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-would-be.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-would-be.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "would-be"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.