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What is the difference between if and were?

if | were |

As nouns the difference between if and were

is that if is (informal) an uncertainty, possibility, condition, doubt etc while were is (archaic) man (human male), as in.

As a conjunction if

is supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that;.

As a verb were is

second-person singular simple past tense indicative of be.

if

English

(wikipedia if)

Conjunction

(English Conjunctions)
  • Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that;
  • If it rains, I will get wet .
  • Supposing that;
  • I'd prefer it if you took your shoes off.
  • Although;
  • He was a great friend, if a little stingy at the bar.
  • (computing) In the event that a statement is true (a programming statement that acts in a similar manner).
  • If A, then B, else C.
  • Whether;
  • I don't know if I want to go or not.
  • * 1715–1717 , , Alma; or, The Progress of the Mind , Canto III:
  • Quoth Matthew, “”
  • (usually hyperbolic) Even if; even in the circumstances that.
  • * 2004', (singers), “'''If It’s The Last Thing I Do” (song), in ''You Do Your Thing (album):
  • If' it’s the last thing I do / '''If''' it takes me from Tubilo to Timbuktu / '''If''' it’s the last thing I do / I’m gonna dodge every road block, speed trap, county cop / To get my hands on you / ' If it’s the last thing I do.

    Usage notes

    * Specifically a subordinating conjunction.

    Derived terms

    * iff * if and only if * if clause * if only * as if * even if * if so be

    Alternative forms

    * ifen * iffen

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) An uncertainty, possibility, condition, doubt etc.
  • * 1709, Susannah Centlivre, The Busy Body'', Act III, in John Bell (ed.), ''British Theater , J. Bell (1791), page 59,
  • Sir Fran.'' Nay, but Chargy, if——— ¶ ''Miran.'' Nay, Gardy, no Ifs'''.——Have I refus'd three northern lords, two British peers, and half a score knights, to have put in your ' Ifs ?
  • * 1791 January, "Richard?on’s Chemical Principles of the Metallic Arts''", in ''The Monthly Review , R. Griffiths, page 176,
  • Well might Bergman add, (in his Sciographia,''), “if the compari?on that has been made, &c. be ju?t.” The pre?ent writer makes no ''ifs about the matter, and has ?uperadded a little inaccuracy of his own, […]
  • * {{quote-news, year=2013, date=April 9, author=Andrei Lankov, title=Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff., work=New York Times citation
  • , passage=Even if they managed to strike Japan, the United States or South Korea with nuclear weapons — a big if , given that they do not have a reliable delivery system — they could not save themselves from ultimate defeat.}}

    Derived terms

    * big if *

    See also

    * and * else * false * or * then * true

    Statistics

    *

    were

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) .

    Verb

    (head)
  • .
  • John, you were the only person to see him.
  • .
  • We were about to leave.
  • .
  • Mary and John, you were right.
  • .
  • They were a fine group.
    They were to be the best of friends from that day on.
  • .
  • I wish that it were Sunday.
    I wish that I were with you.
  • :* with "if" omitted, put first in an "if" clause:
  • :*: Were''' it simply that she wore a hat, I would not be upset at all.'' (= '''''If''' it '''were simply... )
  • :*: Were''' father a king, we would have war.'' (= '''''If''' father '''were a king,... )
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=November 3 , author=David Ornstein , title=Macc Tel-Aviv 1 - 2 Stoke , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Maccabi would have been out of contention were it not for Stoke's profligacy, but their fortune eventually ran out as the visitors opened the scoring.}}
  • (Northern England) was.
  • Synonyms
    * (second-person singular past indicative, archaic'') wast (''used with "thou" ) * (second-person singular imperfect subjunctive, archaic'') wert (''used with "thou" )

    See also

    * am * are * is * art * be * being * been * beest * was * wast * wert

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) wer, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (wikipedia were) (en noun)
  • (archaic) man (human male), as in .
  • (obsolete) A fine for slaying a man; weregild.
  • * Bosworth
  • Every man was valued at a certain sum, which was called his were .
  • (fandom) The collective name for any kind of person that changes into another form under certain conditions, including the werewolf.
  • Statistics

    *