shouldn't

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English

Etymology

From should +‎ -n't.

Pronunciation

Verb

shouldn't

  1. Should not (negative auxiliary[1])

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?"[1]

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

shouldn't (plural shouldn'ts)

  1. (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. 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