ʃæl v.aux. (3rd
sing. present shall;
archaic 2nd sing. present
shalt as
below;
past should) (foll. by infin.
without to, or absol.; present
and past
only in use) 1 (in
the 1st person) expressing the
future tense (I shall
return soon) or (with shall stressed)
emphatic intention (I shall
have a party). 2 (in the 2nd and 3rd persons) expressing a
strong assertion or
command rather than a
wish (cf. WILL(1)) (you shall
not catch me
again;
they shall go to the party). °For the
other persons in senses 1, 2 see
WILL(1). 3 expressing a command or
duty (thou shalt not
steal; they shall obey). 4 (in 2nd-person questions) expressing an
enquiry,
esp. to
avoid the
form of a
request (cf. WILL(1)) (shall
you go to France?). øshall I? do you
want me to? [OE sceal f. Gmc]