could

Examples

• All

• You could have called me before you left the house.

• I could have helped you, but you never asked.

• You could have finished the project on time if you had started earlier.

• She could have taken the train, but she decided to drive instead.

• They could have joined us for dinner, but they had other plans.

Synonyms

C

coulda

vscould

• Informal

8.8

To say 'could have' in informal speech to show something was possible in the past

is the standard written form used to state past possibility or to criticise actions

Idioms

C

to could care less

• Informal

1 9.1

To say you do not care at all, often to show you actually do care

C

to could eat a horse

• Informal

8.3

Very hungry and wanting to eat a lot

C

could have been an email

• Informal

7.5

A comment that a meeting is unnecessary because the information can be sent by email

A

a floor one could eat off

• Informal

7.5

A floor so clean you could eat from it

I

if looks could kill

• Informal

8.9

A very angry stare that seems like it could hurt someone

I

if these walls could talk

• Informal

9.1

An idea that a place could tell stories from its past

How Likely

would have

2.3

could

1.6

might-have-been

53 8.4

Surface Forms

Etymology