shall en · VERB
Pronunciation
- /ʃəl/ weak form
- /ʃal/ strong form, Standard Southern British, Northern England, Scotland, Wales
- /ʃ(ə)/ weak form, pre-consonantal only
- /ʃæl/ strong form, Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada, Australia
- /ʃɛl/ strong form, New Zealand
- (US) audio
- /ʃaʊ̯l/ (Early, Modern)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English schal (infinitive schulen), from Old English sċeal (infinitive sċulan (“should, must”)), from Proto-West Germanic *skulan, from Proto-Germanic *skal (infinitive *skulaną), from Proto-Indo-European *skel- (“to owe, be under obligation”). Cognate with Scots sall, sal (“shall”), North Frisian skal, schal, Saterland Frisian skäl, schäl, schal (infinitive skälle, schälle), West Frisian sil (infinitive sille (“shall”)), Dutch zal (infinitive zullen (“shall”)), Low German schall (infinitive schölen (“shall”)), German soll (infinitive sollen (“ought to”)), Danish skal (infinitive skulle (“shall”)), Icelandic skal (infinitive skulu (“shall”)), Afrikaans sal, Swedish skall (“shall”) (infinitive skola).
Meanings
-
(auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past-participle, no-present-participle) Used before a verb to indicate the simple future tense in the first person singular or plural.
A woman shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage for being elected to or sitting or voting as a Member of the Commons House of Parliament.
1918, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Section 20(3)”, in Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918ᵂⁱᵏⁱˢᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ, page 1:"Then, having used up the powers of the Golden Cap, I shall give it to the King of the Monkeys, that he and his band may thereafter be free for evermore."
1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:I hope that we shall win the game.
I shall sing in the choir tomorrow.
-
(auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past-participle, no-present-participle) Used similarly to indicate determination or obligation in the second and third persons singular or plural.
Things haven't turned out as I intended they should, but I still intend that you shall take over the business.
(determination): You shall go to the ball!; He shall be given a fair trial.
(obligation): The renter shall be responsible for maintenance of the vehicle.
A woman shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage for being elected to or sitting or voting as a Member of the Commons House of Parliament.
1918, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Section 1”, in Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918ᵂⁱᵏⁱˢᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ, page 1:(obligation): Citizens shall provide proof of identity.
And the gates of it ſhall not bee ſhut at all by day: foꝛ there ſhall bee no night there.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 21:25, column 1:
-
(auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past-participle, no-present-participle) Used in questions with the first person singular or plural to suggest a possible future action.
Let us examine that, shall we? - Yeah let's.
Shall we see you before you set out?
Shall we go out later?
I'll hold that for you, shall I?
What shall I do? Shall I give you a hand?
-
(auxiliary, defective, modal, no-past-participle, no-present-participle, obsolete) To owe.
I thee shall a hundred golden coins; th'amount thou shalt the Queen is much higher.
He should þe Princess his Life, for she had deliver'd him from þe Poison deadly.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shall | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| shal | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| should | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Deriveds
shalln't · this too shall pass · shan't · shall we say · this too shall pass away · shall I say · shalbe · speak of the devil and he shall appear · never the twain shall meet · shall-issue · man shall not live by bread alone · seek and ye shall find
Descendants
Relateds
Translations (56)
sv ska (indicating determination or obligation) · ru до́лжен (indicating determination or obligation) · de sollen (indicating determination or obligation) · pam kata? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · ko -ᆯ까 (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · de werden (indicating the simple future tense) · pam dapat (indicating determination or obligation) · ru должна́ (indicating determination or obligation) · eo -u (indicating determination or obligation) · ru должно́ (indicating determination or obligation) · sv ska (indicating the simple future tense) · no skulle (indicating determination or obligation) · pam danaka? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · ja ものとする (indicating determination or obligation) · pam kailangan (indicating the simple future tense) · no skulle (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · nl zullen (indicating the simple future tense) · fr or (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · ko -야 되다 (indicating determination or obligation) · ms akan (indicating the simple future tense) · osx skulan (indicating the simple future tense) · pt dever (indicating determination or obligation) · no skal (indicating the simple future tense) · pam daka? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · pam kailangan (indicating determination or obligation) · sv skall (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · fy sille (indicating the simple future tense) · ang sculan (indicating the simple future tense) · ko -ᆯ까요 (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · pam dapat (indicating the simple future tense) · ja ましょうか (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · bg да (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · pam ko? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · de sollen (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · sv skall (indicating the simple future tense) · pam danakayo? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · fr devoir (indicating determination or obligation) · la debeo (indicating determination or obligation) · pt precisar (indicating determination or obligation) · ko -야 하다 (indicating determination or obligation) · sco sall (indicating the simple future tense) · pl powinien (indicating determination or obligation) · fr être obligé de (indicating determination or obligation) · ja ようか (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · it dovere (indicating determination or obligation) · got 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌰𐌽 (indicating determination or obligation) · fr informally (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · bg ще (indicating the simple future tense) · sv skall (indicating determination or obligation) · pam danakata? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · fr tu iras au bal! (indicating determination or obligation) · ru должны́ (indicating determination or obligation) · it essere obbligato di (indicating determination or obligation) · pam dakayo? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · pam dakata? (in questions to suggest a possible future action) · sv ska (in questions to suggest a possible future action)