"could" meaning in English

See could in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /kʊd/ Audio: en-us-could.ogg [US] Forms: can [present], could [past], couldn't [negative]
Head templates: {{verb4|can|could|couldn't}} [POS TABLE]
  1. If you could do something, you were able to do it.
    Sense id: simple-could-en-verb-VbcYVh6p
  2. If you could something, but you don't know if you want to, you have the option of doing do it.
    Sense id: simple-could-en-verb-J8LSo-kE
     
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "can",
      "tags": [
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "could",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "couldn't",
      "tags": [
        "negative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "can",
        "2": "could",
        "3": "couldn't"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "verb4"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "When I was younger, I could run a five-minute mile."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you could do something, you were able to do it."
      ],
      "id": "simple-could-en-verb-VbcYVh6p",
      "raw_tags": [
        "modal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She could do her math or go to the game."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you could something, but you don't know if you want to, you have the option of doing do it."
      ],
      "id": "simple-could-en-verb-J8LSo-kE",
      "raw_tags": [
        "modal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊd/"
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/kUd/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-could.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "auxiliary",
    "modal"
  ],
  "word": "could"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "can",
      "tags": [
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "could",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "couldn't",
      "tags": [
        "negative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "can",
        "2": "could",
        "3": "couldn't"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "verb4"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Modal auxiliary verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "When I was younger, I could run a five-minute mile."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you could do something, you were able to do it."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "modal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Modal auxiliary verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She could do her math or go to the game."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you could something, but you don't know if you want to, you have the option of doing do it."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "modal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊd/"
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/kUd/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-could.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "auxiliary",
    "modal"
  ],
  "word": "could"
}

Download raw JSONL data for could meaning in English (0.9kB)

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-29 from the simplewiktionary dump dated 2025-01-20 using wiktextract (70a4daf and 5c11237). 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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