- must; ought (used to indicate duty, propriety, or expediency): You should not do that.All of this is irresponsible alarmism and should be dismissed as such.
- (used to express an expectation): They should arrive around dinner time.The paper you need should be in the drawer.
- (used to express a correction): In your first sentence, that semicolon should be a comma.
- (used to express a potential future event or condition): Were he to arrive, I should be pleased.
- would (used to make a statement less direct or blunt): I should think you would apologize.
- simple past tense of shall.
- a demand or requirement; something a person must or ought to do: Placing too many shoulds or unrealistic expectations on yourself can contribute to stress.It’s hard to find joy anymore with all these oughts and shoulds.
- the past tense of shall : used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action is considered by the speaker to be obligatory (you should go) or to form the subjunctive mood with I or we (I should like to see you; if I should be late, go without me)
