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should've. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
should've, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
should've in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
should've you have here. The definition of the word
should've will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
should've, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
should + -'ve
Pronunciation
Contraction
should've
- Contraction of should have.
- He should've arrived earlier.
Usage notes
Like other similarly formed contractions, speakers only use should've to replace the modal sense of should have, i.e. where have precedes a past participle: You should've gone. They do not use it to replace should followed by the verb have used lexically, e.g. *You should've some patience. See also gonna.
Synonyms