would-have-beenadj.

Brit.

/ˈwʊd(h)əvbiːn/, U.S.

/ˈwʊdə(v)ˌbɪn/

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: English would , will v.¹, English have been , be v.

Etymology: < would, past tense of will v.¹ + have been, perfect tense of be v. Compare later might-have-been adj. and n.

That would have been (what is denoted by the following noun phrase). Sometimes also: (of a person) that would like to have been.

ΘΠ

the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > aspiration or ambition > [adjective] > ambitious > would be (thought)

would-be?c1400

would-have-been1744

would-be-thought1805

wannabe1986

1744 E. Haywood Female Spectator (1745) I. v. 289 Her penetrating Eyes immediately discover'd her would-have-been Gallant.

1835 Canton Reg. 23 June 99/2 Teach the lieges of Ireland and Scotland and of every town in England, that the would-have-been company's-teas of 1835, are the grass, herbs and leaves of all sorts of the free-trade-teas of 1834 exported from Canton.

1844 A. Smith Adventures Mr. Ledbury II. xiii. 181 The would-have-been assassin of Louis the Fifteenth.

1901 Westm. Gaz. 16 Nov. 7/1 The hunt goes forward after the would-have-been invaders of Natal.

2015 W. Mosley Inside Silver Box xxix. 202 The would-have-been young killer thought that..he could break that door down.

2019 @junglepi 30 May in twitter.com (accessed 12 June 2019) 30th Anniversary for those who fought for a would-have-been better future.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021).

单词	would-have-been
释义	would-have-beenadj. Brit. /ˈwʊd(h)əvbiːn/, U.S. /ˈwʊdə(v)ˌbɪn/ Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: English would , will v.¹, English have been , be v. Etymology: < would, past tense of will v.¹ + have been, perfect tense of be v. Compare later might-have-been adj. and n. That would have been (what is denoted by the following noun phrase). Sometimes also: (of a person) that would like to have been. ΘΠ the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > aspiration or ambition > [adjective] > ambitious > would be (thought) would-be?c1400 would-have-been1744 would-be-thought1805 wannabe1986 1744 E. Haywood Female Spectator (1745) I. v. 289 Her penetrating Eyes immediately discover'd her would-have-been Gallant. 1835 Canton Reg. 23 June 99/2 Teach the lieges of Ireland and Scotland and of every town in England, that the would-have-been company's-teas of 1835, are the grass, herbs and leaves of all sorts of the free-trade-teas of 1834 exported from Canton. 1844 A. Smith Adventures Mr. Ledbury II. xiii. 181 The would-have-been assassin of Louis the Fifteenth. 1901 Westm. Gaz. 16 Nov. 7/1 The hunt goes forward after the would-have-been invaders of Natal. 2015 W. Mosley Inside Silver Box xxix. 202 The would-have-been young killer thought that..he could break that door down. 2019 @junglepi 30 May in twitter.com (accessed 12 June 2019) 30th Anniversary for those who fought for a would-have-been better future. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021). < adj.1744
随便看	to keep one's weathereye open to keep one's wicket up to keep one's wind to keep one's wool to keep one's word to keep one'the hand in use to keep one'the house to keep one'the options open to keep oneself to oneself to keep open door to keep open doors to keep open house to keep open household to keep open shop to keep or hold a matter counsel (later in counsel to keep or hold counsel (later in counsel to keep or hold season to keep or lose one's temper to keep or lose temper to keep or take diet to keep or take spell to keep or wrap in cotton-wool to keep or wrap in cottonwool to keep out to keep over