"shouldn't've" meaning in English

See shouldn't've in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Contraction

IPA: /ˈʃʊd(ə)n(t)ə(v)/ [US] Audio: en-US shouldn't've.ogg [US] Forms: shouldn’t’ve [canonical]
Etymology: Etymology tree English shouldn't substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną Proto-West Germanic *habbjan Old English habban Middle English haven English have English -'ve English shouldn't've From shouldn't + -'ve. Etymology templates: {{ety|en|:af|shouldn't|-'ve|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree English shouldn't substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną Proto-West Germanic *habbjan Old English habban Middle English haven English have English -'ve English shouldn't've [Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from", "terms" : [ { "id" : "seize", "children" : [ { "keyword_abbrev" : "bor.", "is_uncertain" : true, "keyword_label" : "Borrowed from", "terms" : [ { "lang_name" : "substrate", "status" : "ok", "children" : [ ], "lang" : "qfa-sub" } ], "keyword" : "bor" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*kap-", "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword" : "derived" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Germanic", "term" : "*habjaną", "lang" : "gem-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*habbjan", "lang" : "gmw-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Old English", "term" : "habban", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "ang" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "haven", "lang" : "enm" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "have", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "keyword" : "from" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "-'ve", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "shouldn't've", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="shouldn't've"> From shouldn't + -'ve., {{ety|en|:af|shouldn't|-'ve|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree English should Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-West Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiw univ. Proto-West Germanic *naiw Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wékʷtisder.? Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰtisder.? Proto-Germanic *wihtą Proto-West Germanic *wiht Proto-West Germanic *naiwwiht Old English nāwiht Old English *nōht Middle English nought Middle English not English notder. English -n't English shouldn't substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną Proto-West Germanic *habbjan Old English habban Middle English haven English have English -'ve English shouldn't've From shouldn't + -'ve. Head templates: {{head|en|contraction|head=shouldn’t’ve}} shouldn’t’ve
  1. (informal) Contraction of should + not + have. Tags: abbreviation, alt-of, contraction, informal Alternative form of: should (extra: + not + have) Synonyms: shouldna [colloquial] Related terms: couldn't've, wouldn't've, oughtn't've
{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "shouldn't",
      "shouldn't#English"
    ],
    [
      "*kap-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/kap-#Proto-Indo-European:_seize"
    ],
    [
      "*habjaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/habjaną#Proto-Germanic:_have"
    ],
    [
      "*habbjan",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/habbjan#Proto-West_Germanic:_have"
    ],
    [
      "habban",
      "habban#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "haven",
      "haven#Middle_English:_have"
    ],
    [
      "have",
      "have#English"
    ],
    [
      "-'ve",
      "-'ve#English"
    ],
    [
      "shouldn't",
      "shouldn't#English"
    ],
    [
      "-'ve",
      "-'ve#English"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "shouldn't",
        "4": "-'ve",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish shouldn't\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-der.\nProto-Germanic *habjaną\nProto-West Germanic *habbjan\nOld English habban\nMiddle English haven\nEnglish have\nEnglish -'ve\nEnglish shouldn't've\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"seize\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"lang_name\" : \"substrate\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang\" : \"qfa-sub\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*kap-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*habjaną\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*habbjan\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"habban\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"haven\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"have\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-'ve\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"shouldn't've\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"shouldn't've\">\nFrom shouldn't + -'ve.",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "shouldn't",
        "4": "-'ve",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish should\nProto-Indo-European *né\nProto-Germanic *ne\nProto-West Germanic *ne\nProto-Indo-European *h₂ey-\nProto-Indo-European *-u\nProto-Indo-European *h₂óyu\nProto-Indo-European *-osinflu.\nProto-Germanic *aiwaz\nProto-West Germanic *aiw\nuniv.\nProto-West Germanic *naiw\nProto-Indo-European *wekʷ-\nProto-Indo-European *-tis\nProto-Indo-European *wékʷtisder.?\nProto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-\nProto-Indo-European *-tis\nProto-Indo-European *wéǵʰtisder.?\nProto-Germanic *wihtą\nProto-West Germanic *wiht\nProto-West Germanic *naiwwiht\nOld English nāwiht\nOld English *nōht\nMiddle English nought\nMiddle English not\nEnglish notder.\nEnglish -n't\nEnglish shouldn't\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-der.\nProto-Germanic *habjaną\nProto-West Germanic *habbjan\nOld English habban\nMiddle English haven\nEnglish have\nEnglish -'ve\nEnglish shouldn't've\nFrom shouldn't + -'ve.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish shouldn't\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-der.\nProto-Germanic *habjaną\nProto-West Germanic *habbjan\nOld English habban\nMiddle English haven\nEnglish have\nEnglish -'ve\nEnglish shouldn't've\nFrom shouldn't + -'ve.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "shouldn’t’ve",
      "tags": [
        "canonical"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "contraction",
        "head": "shouldn’t’ve"
      },
      "expansion": "shouldn’t’ve",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "contraction",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "+ not + have",
          "word": "should"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology texts",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -'ve",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Old English links with redundant alt parameters",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              15,
              27
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1990 October, Jamie Delano, “The Bogeyman”, in Hellblazer, number 34, DC Comics, page 8:",
          "text": "She’s right. I shouldn’t’ve come.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Contraction of should + not + have."
      ],
      "id": "en-shouldn't've-en-contraction-FKbc2mfN",
      "links": [
        [
          "should",
          "should#English"
        ],
        [
          "not",
          "not#English"
        ],
        [
          "have",
          "have#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) Contraction of should + not + have."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "couldn't've"
        },
        {
          "word": "wouldn't've"
        },
        {
          "word": "oughtn't've"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "colloquial"
          ],
          "word": "shouldna"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "contraction",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈʃʊd(ə)n(t)ə(v)/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-US shouldn't've.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/13/En-US_shouldn%27t%27ve.ogg/En-US_shouldn%27t%27ve.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/En-US_shouldn%27t%27ve.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "shouldn't've"
}
{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "shouldn't",
      "shouldn't#English"
    ],
    [
      "*kap-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/kap-#Proto-Indo-European:_seize"
    ],
    [
      "*habjaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/habjaną#Proto-Germanic:_have"
    ],
    [
      "*habbjan",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/habbjan#Proto-West_Germanic:_have"
    ],
    [
      "habban",
      "habban#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "haven",
      "haven#Middle_English:_have"
    ],
    [
      "have",
      "have#English"
    ],
    [
      "-'ve",
      "-'ve#English"
    ],
    [
      "shouldn't",
      "shouldn't#English"
    ],
    [
      "-'ve",
      "-'ve#English"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "shouldn't",
        "4": "-'ve",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish shouldn't\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-der.\nProto-Germanic *habjaną\nProto-West Germanic *habbjan\nOld English habban\nMiddle English haven\nEnglish have\nEnglish -'ve\nEnglish shouldn't've\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"seize\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"lang_name\" : \"substrate\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang\" : \"qfa-sub\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*kap-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*habjaną\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*habbjan\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"habban\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"haven\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"have\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-'ve\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"shouldn't've\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"shouldn't've\">\nFrom shouldn't + -'ve.",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "shouldn't",
        "4": "-'ve",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish should\nProto-Indo-European *né\nProto-Germanic *ne\nProto-West Germanic *ne\nProto-Indo-European *h₂ey-\nProto-Indo-European *-u\nProto-Indo-European *h₂óyu\nProto-Indo-European *-osinflu.\nProto-Germanic *aiwaz\nProto-West Germanic *aiw\nuniv.\nProto-West Germanic *naiw\nProto-Indo-European *wekʷ-\nProto-Indo-European *-tis\nProto-Indo-European *wékʷtisder.?\nProto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-\nProto-Indo-European *-tis\nProto-Indo-European *wéǵʰtisder.?\nProto-Germanic *wihtą\nProto-West Germanic *wiht\nProto-West Germanic *naiwwiht\nOld English nāwiht\nOld English *nōht\nMiddle English nought\nMiddle English not\nEnglish notder.\nEnglish -n't\nEnglish shouldn't\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-der.\nProto-Germanic *habjaną\nProto-West Germanic *habbjan\nOld English habban\nMiddle English haven\nEnglish have\nEnglish -'ve\nEnglish shouldn't've\nFrom shouldn't + -'ve.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish shouldn't\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-der.\nProto-Germanic *habjaną\nProto-West Germanic *habbjan\nOld English habban\nMiddle English haven\nEnglish have\nEnglish -'ve\nEnglish shouldn't've\nFrom shouldn't + -'ve.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "shouldn’t’ve",
      "tags": [
        "canonical"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "contraction",
        "head": "shouldn’t’ve"
      },
      "expansion": "shouldn’t’ve",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "contraction",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "couldn't've"
    },
    {
      "word": "wouldn't've"
    },
    {
      "word": "oughtn't've"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "+ not + have",
          "word": "should"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English auxiliary verb forms",
        "English contractions",
        "English double contractions",
        "English entries with etymology texts",
        "English entries with etymology trees",
        "English entries with etymon",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English informal terms",
        "English non-lemma forms",
        "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ey- (life)",
        "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kap- (seize)",
        "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *wekʷ-",
        "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *weǵʰ-",
        "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *h₂óyu",
        "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *né",
        "English terms suffixed with -'ve",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Old English links with redundant alt parameters",
        "Pages using etymon with no ID",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Pages with etymology trees",
        "Pages with etymon"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              15,
              27
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1990 October, Jamie Delano, “The Bogeyman”, in Hellblazer, number 34, DC Comics, page 8:",
          "text": "She’s right. I shouldn’t’ve come.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Contraction of should + not + have."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "should",
          "should#English"
        ],
        [
          "not",
          "not#English"
        ],
        [
          "have",
          "have#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) Contraction of should + not + have."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "contraction",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈʃʊd(ə)n(t)ə(v)/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-US shouldn't've.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/13/En-US_shouldn%27t%27ve.ogg/En-US_shouldn%27t%27ve.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/En-US_shouldn%27t%27ve.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ],
      "word": "shouldna"
    }
  ],
  "word": "shouldn't've"
}

Download raw JSONL data for shouldn't've meaning in English (6.1kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-10-30 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-10-01 using wiktextract (19f9a30 and 6f96ddf). 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.

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