would

would — 動詞

1. used in older literary English to say what someone ought to do or what is morall

1.動詞C2
釋義

應該

表示義務或責任的古語用法

used in older literary English to say what someone ought to do or what is morally right to do, where modern English would use 'should'.

例句

"You would not speak so boldly to the queen, young man," the old advisor warned.

老顧問警告說：「年輕人，你不該對女王說話如此大膽。」

would + base verb expressing moral obligation

A loyal subject would obey the king's command without question, Sirin said.

Sirin 說，忠誠的臣民應無條件服從國王的命令。

同義詞
  • should

    modern equivalent; expresses obligation, duty, or correctness

  • ought to

    modern equivalent; slightly stronger sense of moral duty

文法句型

would + base verb (duty/obligation)

用法筆記

This sense is now only found in older literary texts, historical fiction, or deliberately archaic speech. In modern English, use 'should' instead.

常見錯誤

❌I would go to the store' (meaning obligation).
✅I should go to the store.
💡In modern English, 'would' no longer carries a 'should' meaning and instead expresses a conditional or habitual action.

2. used in older English to say that someone or something had the ability or capaci

2.動詞C2
釋義

能夠

表示能力或可能性的古語用法

used in older English to say that someone or something had the ability or capacity to do something, where modern English would use 'could'.

例句

The heavy iron gate would not open, no matter how hard the guards pushed.

那扇沉重的鐵門怎麼也打不開，無論守衛們多用力推。

would not + verb = could not (archaic ability sense)

The old horse would no longer carry the farmer's goods to the market.

那匹老馬再也無法把農夫的貨物運到市場。

同義詞
  • could

    modern equivalent; expresses ability or capacity

文法句型

would + base verb (ability)

用法筆記

This sense overlaps with the modal verb 'would' used to describe willingness or refusal (e.g., 'The car would not start'). The archaic distinction is that it expresses sheer inability rather than unwillingness. In modern English, use 'could' instead.

常見錯誤

❌The car would not start' (meaning it had no ability to start).
✅The car could not start.
💡In modern English, 'would not start' suggests the car refused (as if it had a will), while 'could not' is neutral about the reason.

3. used in older literary English to express a strong wish or desire for something

3.動詞C2
釋義

渴望

強烈希望某事實現的願望

used in older literary English to express a strong wish or desire for something that is not true at the present moment, often followed by a subjunctive clause introduced by 'that' or using 'I would I were...'.

例句

"Would that the rains would come and save our dying crops," the farmer Ari prayed.

農夫 Ari 祈禱：「但願雨水降臨，拯救我們枯萎的作物。」

Would that + clause — archaic wish construction

"I would I were a bird that could fly beyond stone walls," the princess said.

公主說：「我但願我是一隻鳥，能飛越石牆。」

I would I were — subjunctive wish pattern

同義詞
  • wish

    modern equivalent; expresses a desire for something not true

  • desire

    formal modern equivalent; expresses a strong wish

文法句型

would that + clause (subjunctive)

I would + subject + were/would (subjunctive wish)

用法筆記

This sense uses a distinctive subjunctive construction ('I would I were...' or 'Would that...') that does not exist in modern English. The modern equivalent uses 'I wish (that)...' followed by a past subjunctive. The phrasing 'I would that...' is an alternative without the repeated 'I'.

常見錯誤

❌I would I am a bird.
✅I would I were a bird.
💡The subjunctive 'were' is required in this archaic construction.

4. the past tense of the archaic verb 'will' meaning 'to wish or desire', used in o

4.動詞及物C2
釋義

曾願

過去時，表示曾經希望或渴望

the past tense of the archaic verb 'will' meaning 'to wish or desire', used in older English to say what someone wanted or wished for at a time in the past.

例句

The prince would that he had never left his homeland, but returning was impossible now.

王子曾希望自己從未離開故土，但如今回去已不可能。

would that + past perfect — past wish about an earlier time

"What would you more than a peaceful harvest?" the old woman asked.

老婦人問道：「除了豐收的糧食，你還會想要更多嗎？」

What would [subject] more than...? — archaic desire question

同義詞
  • wished

    modern equivalent; past tense of 'wish'

  • desired

    formal modern equivalent; expresses past wanting

文法句型

would + object + complement

would + that-clause (past desire)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 (WISH) expresses a present-tense wish using a subjunctive pattern ('I would I were...'), while this sense is the true past tense of the verb 'will' (to wish), taking an object or a that-clause. In modern English, use 'wished for' or 'wanted' instead.

常見錯誤

❌I would I had a horse' (when meaning past tense).
✅He would that he had a horse.
💡Sense 3 is present wish; this sense (4) is past tense. Context determines which is which.

5. used in older English to express a direct wish or need for something, where the

5.動詞及物C2
釋義

想要

希望得到或擁有某事物

used in older English to express a direct wish or need for something, where the speaker wants to obtain or receive a particular thing.

例句

"I would some food, sir, for I have not eaten in days," said the beggar.

乞丐說：「先生，我想要些食物，因為我已好幾天沒吃東西了。」

would + direct object (noun phrase)

"What would you of me, my lord?" the servant Yuki asked with a low bow.

僕人 Yuki 深深鞠躬問道：「主人，您想要我做什麼？」

What would + [person] + of + [person]? — archaic request formula

同義詞
  • want

    modern equivalent; expresses a desire for something

  • wish for

    modern equivalent; slightly more formal than 'want'

文法句型

would + noun phrase (desire)

would + of + person (request)

用法筆記

Different from sense 4 (WISHED) in that sense 5 takes a concrete noun as direct object ('I would some food') whereas sense 4 typically takes a that-clause or is used in set phrases ('What would you?'). Both are archaic; use 'want' or 'wish for' in modern English.

常見錯誤

❌I would a cup of tea' (in modern conversation).
✅I would like a cup of tea.
💡Without 'like', 'would' cannot express wanting something in modern English except in fixed polite phrases.

would — 情態動詞