Word Study
would
CIDE DICTIONARY
Commonly used as an auxiliary verb, either in the past tense or in the conditional or optative present. See 2d & 3d Will. [1913 Webster]
" Would was formerly used also as the past participle of Will ." [1913 Webster]
"Right as our Lord hath would." [1913 Webster]
would, n.
See 2d Weld. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
would, v.aux. (3rd sing. would) past of WILL(1), used esp.:
1 (in the 2nd and 3rd persons, and often in the 1st: see SHOULD). a in reported speech (he said he would be home by evening). b to express the conditional mood (they would have been killed if they had gone).
2 to express habitual action (would wait for her every evening).
3 to express a question or polite request (would they like it?; would you come in, please?).
4 to express probability (I guess she would be over fifty by now).
5 (foll. by that + clause) literary to express a wish (would that you were here).
6 to express consent (they would not help).
1 (in the 2nd and 3rd persons, and often in the 1st: see SHOULD). a in reported speech (he said he would be home by evening). b to express the conditional mood (they would have been killed if they had gone).
2 to express habitual action (would wait for her every evening).
3 to express a question or polite request (would they like it?; would you come in, please?).
4 to express probability (I guess she would be over fifty by now).
5 (foll. by that + clause) literary to express a wish (would that you were here).
6 to express consent (they would not help).
Idiom
would-be often derog. desiring or aspiring to be (a would-be politician).
Etymology
OE wolde, past of wyllan: see WILL(1)
For further exploring for "would" in Webster Dictionary Online
