Word Finder - could

definition

(auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.

example

She can speak English, French, and German.   I can play football.   Can you remember your fifth birthday?

synonyms

• be able to

definition

(modal auxiliary verb, defective) May; to be permitted or enabled to.

example

You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework.   Can I use your pen?

synonyms

• may

definition

(modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have the potential to; be possible.

example

Animals can experience emotions.

definition

(auxiliary verb, defective) Used with verbs of perception.

example

Can you hear that?.

definition

To know.

synonyms

• cognize
• grok
• ken

definition

Something that could happen, or could be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality.

I wish you could hear yourself talking.

How could she blame him?

What could he do about it but lose more sleep?

How could he find out?

I never thought I could do it.

I could not help it.

I had let so much gas out of my balloon that I could not rise again, and in a few minutes the earth closed over my head.

The doctor thought I could not live.

We could say he has excellent taste.

I could not understand, and was vexed.

That could be a reality.

I could not be induced to tell where the key was.

I wish you could stay.

If anything could take her mind off the worry of surrogacy, he could.

How could he do such a thing to his own children?

There was nothing he could do.

Could you start a fire, honey?

He could not resist looking at them once more.

But what could have happened?

She could have been a model.

How could I have looked him in the face?

She could have asked, but that might tip her hand.

Could I ride one?

Still, it could be a lot worse.

Oh, I guess Zeb could fight if he had to.

Could you carry that?

Could we make a car that can go 300 mph?

It seemed as if no one saw that coming because, frankly, no one could conceive of it happening.

No one could deny that Alex was a devoted husband and father.

We sure could use you.

Edward could spell nearly all the words in his primer, and he could read quite well.

How could anyone fall asleep that fast?

The sudden rush into space confused them so that they could not think.

She could count his ribs easily where they showed through the skin of his body, and his head was long and seemed altogether too big for him, as if it did not fit.

But not a trace could they find of the tiny creature they sought.

All this was so terrible and unreal that he could not understand it at all, and so had good reason to be afraid.

No, so I could get over it.

Alex helped the man get the luggage into the trunk and then hurried to assist Carmen into the car before the man could touch her.

Could you help me zip this?

Well I sure could.

I simply couldn't resist you.

The Christmas tree could only be seen from the back of the house, but that didn't matter.

Besides, after he inherited, he could always put someone in charge of the estate.

They both couldn't be there all the time.

Worse things could happen.

I thought maybe we could get married and live here.

Bad science fiction plots, speculating on futures which could not really happen, are the worst examples of this.

Tonight, when it was dark, she could pretend they were at home.

It was almost as if he were shutting Felipa off before she could reveal something.

A spiked drink might seem harmless, but if a person was taking certain prescription drugs, it could be dangerous.