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shouldn't. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
shouldn't, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
shouldn't in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
shouldn't you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From should + -n't.
Pronunciation
Verb
shouldn't
- Should not (negative auxiliary)
1989 February 5, Colin Robinson, “You Dared Us To Dream That We Are Worth Wanting Each Other”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 29, page 8:I shouldn't be telling you all this. It'll make you angry.
Usage notes
Although shouldn't is derived from should not, the two are not grammatically interchangeable. While "Shouldn't I do it?" is grammatical, "Should not I do it?" is no longer acceptable. It would instead be "Should I not do it?"
Coordinate terms
Derived terms
Translations
Noun
shouldn't (plural shouldn'ts)
- (informal) Something that should not be done.
2008, Working Mother, volume 31, number 8, page 20:Being a list-o-maniac, I suggested we make a list of the "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts." So in the darkness of hazy sleep, I began to mentally prepare mine. The first item on the "should" side was easy: a sibling for our 3-year-old daughter.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Zwicky, Arnold M., Geofrey K. Pullum (1983) “Cliticization vs. Inlection: English n't”, in Language, volume 59, number 3, pages pp. 502–513