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Commonly used as an auxiliary verb, either in the past tense or in the conditional or optative present. See 2d & 3d Will.

' (as, a would-be poet.

Emotion of desire; inclination; velleity. [Obs.] Hammond.

Willingness; desire. [Obs.]

A barbarous corruption of have, of he, and sometimes of it and of they. "So would I a done" "A brushes his hat." Shak.

urses; to abet vice; to abet an insurrection. "The whole tribe abets the villany." South. Would not the fool abet the stealth, Who rashly thus exposed his wealth Gay.

obligation, debt, or responsibility, or from the consequences of guilt or such ties as it would be sin or guilt to violate; to pronounce free; as, to absolve a subject from his allegiance; to absolve an offender, which amounts to an acquittal and remission of his punishment. Halifax was absolved by a majority of fourte…

oud applause. On such a day, a holiday having been voted by acclamation, an ordinary walk would not satisfy the children. Southey.

To complete, as time or distance. That He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Dan. ix. 2. He had accomplished half a league or more. Prescott.

ying, which has obtained credit by long use; a proverb. Letting "I dare not" wait upon "I would," Like the poor cat i' the adage. Shak.

To append, as a statement; to say further. He added that he would willingly consent to the entire abolition of the tax. Macaulay.

To risk, or hazard; jeopard; to venture. He would not adventure himself into the theater. Acts xix. 31.

. A consideration of the rationale of our passions seems to me very necessary for all who would affect them upon solid and pure principles.

or or language; to treat with marked incivility. How can any one imagine that the fathers would have dared to affront the wife of Aurelius Addison.

hence, adverse to; as, against reason; against law; to run a race against time. The gate would have been shut against her. Fielding. An argument against the use of steam. Tyndale.

Conjecture; guess. [Obs.] What you would work me to, I have some aim. Shak. To cry aim (Archery), to encourage. [Obs.] Shak.

; to mitigate; as, to allay the severity of affliction or the bitterness of adversity. It would allay the burning quality of that fell poison. Shak.

Away from; clear from. [Obs.] Rivetus . . . would fain work himself aloof these rocks and quicksands. Milton.

Always. [Archaic or Poetic] I would not live alway. Job vii. 16.

man; magisterial; venerable. [Archaic] He wrought but some few hours of the day, and then would he seem very grave and ancient. Holland.