Would-be
wishing or pretending to be:
a would-be wit.
intended to be:
a would-be kindness.
a person who wishes or pretends to be something:
opera singers and would-bes should practice at least four hours a day.
contemporary examples
the stars predict your week starsky + c-x october 14, 2011
‘bates motel’: ken tucker praises vera farmiga’s knife-sharp performance ken tucker may 5, 2013
does the spouse b-mp exist? history suggests first ladies don’t often tilt elections mark mckinnon april 14, 2012
cry macho: arnold’s canceled film marlow stern may 25, 2011
10 celebrity elvis impersonations august 15, 2011
historical examples
psychology robert s. woodworth
the man shakespeare frank harris
out of a labyrinth lawrence l. lynch
r-n-ld bannerman’s boyhood george macdonald
brothers of peril theodore goodridge roberts
adjective (prenominal)
generally (derogatory) wanting or professing to be: a would-be politician
intended to be: would-be generosity
noun
(derogatory) a person who wants or professes to be something that he is not
(indian) the person to whom one is is engaged to be married; fiancé or fiancée
Read Also:
- Would--rather
in a measure; to a certain extent; somewhat: rather good. in some degree: i rather thought you would regret it. more properly or justly; with better reason: the contrary is rather to be supposed. sooner; more readily or willingly: to die rather than yield. more properly or correctly speaking; more truly: he is a painter […]
- Would-that
i wish that, as in would that i could stop working and go hiking with you . for a synonym, see if only
- Would-s
weld2 . verb takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive used as an auxiliary to form the past tense or subjunctive mood of will1 with you, he, she, it, they, or a noun as subject. used as an auxiliary to indicate willingness or desire in a polite manner: would you help me, please? […]
- Wouldst
2nd person singular past of will1 . am (is, are, etc.) about or going to: i will be there tomorrow. she will see you at dinner. am (is, are, etc.) disposed or willing to: people will do right. am (is, are, etc.) expected or required to: you will report to the princ-p-l at once. may […]
- Woulded
a simple past tense and past participle of will1 . (used to express the future in past sentences): he said he would go tomorrow. (used in place of will, to make a statement or form a question less direct or blunt): that would scarcely be fair. would you be so kind? (used to express repeated […]