if, conj. (n.)
(ɪf)
Forms: 1 ᵹif, ᵹyf (ᵹef, ᵹife, ᵹib), 2–5 ȝif, ȝef, 3 ȝief, ȝeif, ȝuf, (Ormin) ȝiff, 3–5 ȝyf, yef, (also 4 ȝiue, yif(f, yhef, 4–5 ȝeue, yeue, 5 ȝife, ȝyfe, yiffe, yeffe, ȝeff); ? 3, 4– if, (4 ef, 4–6 yf, 5 yff, 5–6 iffe, 5–7 iff). See also gif.
[OE. ᵹif (early WS. rare ᵹief), late WS. ᵹyf (Northumbr. rare ᵹef), corresp. (more or less) to OFris. ief, gef, ef (jof, of), OS. ef (of) (MLG. jof, MDu. jof, of, Du. of) ‘if’, OHG. ibu (oba, ubi), MHG. obe, ob, Ger. ob ‘whether, if’, ON. ef ‘if’, Goth. ibai ‘whether, lest’, jabai ‘if, even if, although’. The phonetic relations of the various forms. and their OTeut. type or types, have not been satisfactorily determined. By many considered to represent one or more cases of the n. represented by OHG. iba str. f., ‘condition, stipulation, doubt’, ON. if, ef neut., ifi, efi wk. masc., ‘doubt, hesitation’ (whence ifa, efa vb. ‘to doubt’, Sw. jäf ‘exception, challenge’, jäfva ‘to make an exception against, to challenge’), the conj. thus meaning originally ‘on condition’, ‘on the stipulation (that)’; but it has not been certainly determined whether the conj. is thus derived from the n., or the n. founded on the conj. A notable point in ME. is the development of the northern form gif, q.v.]
A. I. Introducing a clause of condition or supposition (the protasis of a conditional sentence).
On condition that; given or granted that; in (the) case that; supposing that; on the supposition that.
1. With the conditional clause or protasis in the indicative. The indicative after if implies that the speaker expresses no adverse opinion as to the truth of the statement in the clause; it is consistent with his acceptance of it.
(In modern use the indicative is preferred to the subjunctive in cases which lie near the border-line of 1 and 2.)
a. Conditional clause in pres. (or pres. perf.) ind.; (α) with principal clause in present (or pres. perf.) indicative.
| Beowulf (Z.) 447 Ac he me habban wile d[r]eore fahne ᵹif mec deað nimeð. 971 Blickl. Hom. 27 Þas ealle ic þe sylle, ᵹif þu feallest to me. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xviii. 15 ᵹyf he þe ᵹehyrð, þu ᵹestaþelast þinne broðor. c 1200 Vices & Virtues 33 Ȝif ðu ðus dost, ðanne berest þu þin rode. 1382 Wyclif John i. 25 What therfore baptysist thou, if thou art not Crist, nethir Elye, nether prophete? a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 5 For yef ye do, the dede praiethe for you. 1611 Bible Gen. iv. 7 If thou doe [16.. doest] well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest [Coverd. do] not well, sinne lieth at the doore. ― Jas. ii. 17 Euen so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. ii. ii, She's six and fifty if she's a day. 1861 J. Kavanagh French Wom. of Lett. I. viii. 214 If I have not married, it is because I have not loved. 1864 Bowen Logic vi. §3. 165 If A is true, O is false, E false, and I true... If A is false, O is true. If E is false, I is true. 1878 Morley Crit. Misc. Ser. i. Carlyle 200 If he does see it, he rides roughshod over it. |
(β) with principal clause in future indic. (or its equivalent).
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John viii. 52 ᵹif haw mine spræce ᵹehealt ne bið he næfre dead. c 1200 Ormin 673 Ȝiff he seþ þatt mann iss ohht Forrfæredd off hiss sihhþe, He wile himm færenn. a 1250 Owl & Night. 904 Ȝet i þe wulle an oder segge Ȝif þu hit const a riht bilegge. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10997 Ȝuf we doþ ou wrong wo ssal ou do riȝt? c 1300 Harrow. Hell 119 Ȝef thou revest me of myne, Y shal reve the of thyne. c 1340 Cursor M. 14754 (Trin.) Ȝif ȝe þis temple felle to grounde I shal hit rise in litil stounde. c 1440 Partonope 6263 Gyff I scape fro thens on lyve Agayn to prysoun I shall come as blyfe. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. i. 70 If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. 1633 Costlie Whore i i. in Bullen O. Pl. IV, Ile tell another tale, if they have done. 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 73/2 If you do not give a plain answer to a plain question, you will be committed. 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague i. ii. 36 I'll give thee half of it If thou speak'st truly. Mod. If he does it, he will be punished. |
(γ) with principal clause in imperative.
| a 900 Martyrol. in O.E. Texts 178 And ᵹif monn minne noman nemneð in æniᵹre frecennisse..ðonne ᵹefylᵹe se ðinre mildheortnesse. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xviii. 15 Soþlice ᵹyf þin broþor synᵹað [Lind. synnᵹiᵹa; Rushw. firniᵹe vel synᵹiᵹe] wið þe, ga and styr him. Ibid. 16 ᵹyf he þe ne ᵹehyrð [L. ᵹeheres; R. ᵹe-hereþ], nim þonne ᵹyt ænne oððe tweᵹen to þe. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 31 Ȝef þe is lef þin hele, heald þin cunde. 1340 Ayenb. 187 Yef þou hest ynoȝ of guode, yef largeliche, and yef þou hest lite, of þo litle yef gledliche. 1388 Wyclif Matt. xviii. 16, 17 If he herith thee not, take with thee oon or tweyne..And if he herith [v.r. here] not hem, seie thou to the chirche. 1535 Coverdale Gen. xlvii. 6 Yf thou knowest that there be men of actiuyte amonge them, make them rulers of my catell. 1611 Bible Job xxxviii. 18 Declare if thou knowest it all. ― Philem. 18 If hee hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account. 1680 Dryden Ovid's Met. i. [= Lat. l. 761] (1717) 35 If I am Heav'n-begot, assert your Son By some sure Sign. Mod. If they are not good, throw them away. |
(δ) with principal clause of other forms.
| 1611 Bible 2 Cor. xi. 4 If he that commeth preacheth another Iesus..ye might well beare with him. 1821 Byron Cain i. i. 91 If I shrink not from these..Why should I quail from him who now approaches? Mod. If records are to be trusted, there was no famine this year. |
b. Conditional clause in past (or pluperf.) indic., with principal clause in indic. or imper.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter vii. 4, 5 ᵹif ic dyde ðis, ᵹif is unreht⁓wisnis in hondum minum, ᵹif ic aᵹald ðæm ᵹeldendum me yfel, ic ᵹefallu [etc.]. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 661 ᵹif þu him heodæᵹ wuht hearmes ᵹespræce he forᵹifð hit þeah. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John xiii. 14 ᵹif ic þwoh eowre fet..ᵹe sceolon þwean eower ælc oðres fet. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8835 Ȝif enie of is men misdude þe pouere..vengance he nom stronge. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 40 If he had pes at euen, he had non at morow. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 257 If that Palamon was wounded sore Arcite is hurt as moche as he or moore. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. ii. 41 If thou neuer was't at Court, thou neuer saw'st good manners: if thou neuer saw'st good maners, then thy manners must be wicked..Thou art in a parlous state. 1832 Tennyson Lotos-eaters 33 If his fellow spake, His voice was thin. 1835 Thirlwall Greece I. vii. 267 If Amyclae was the Achaean capital, we can the better understand how it might be able to hold out. 1855 Lewes Goethe ii. (1875) 11 But if the town was heedless, not so were the stars. Mod. If he had loved her before, he now adored her. |
c. Conditional clause in future indicative (or its equivalent), with principal clause in indic. or imper. Now arch. (supplied by a).
(Béo is here considered as future.)
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter xii. 5 [xiii. 4] Ða swencað me ᵹefiað, ᵹif onstyred ic beam. 835 in O.E. Texts 448 Ann ic his freoðomunde, ᵹif he ðonne lifes bið. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. v. 37 Soðlice ᵹyf þær mare byð, þæt bið of yfele. c 1205 Lay. 482 Ȝif þou þis nult iþolien þe scal beon þa wrse. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 716 Ȝif þou wole ȝut..more..wite of me, Al..þe ground icholle segge þe. c 1375 Cursor M. 9439 (Laud) Yf þou wolle my forebode hold Thow shalt be lord as I þee told. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xviii. 15 Ȝif thi brother shal synne [1388 synneth, 1611 shall trespasse] in thee, go thou and reproue hym..Ȝif he shal heere [1388 herith] thee, thou hast wonnen thi brother. 1582 N.T. (Rhem.) ibid., If thy brother shal offend against thee, goe and rebuke him. If he shall heare thee, thou shalt gaine [1611 hast gained] thy brother. 1611 Bible Matt. xviii. 19 If two of you shall agree..as touching any thing that they shall aske, it shall bee done for them. |
2. With the conditional clause or protasis in the subjunctive, and the principal clause or apodosis in the indicative or imperative. The subjunctive after if implies that the speaker guards himself from endorsing the truth or realization of the statement; it is consistent with his doubt of it. a. Conditional clause in pres. subj.; (α) with principal clause in imperative.
| Beowulf (Z.) 452 Onsend hiᵹelace ᵹif mec hild nime. 805 in O.E. Texts 442 ᵹif hio..bearn næbbe..þonne foe he to ðæm londe. a 900 Ibid. 176 ᵹif men ferlice wyrde unsofte, oððe sprecan ne maeᵹe, halᵹa him ðis wæter. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark xii. 19 Moses us awrat þæt ᵹef huælc..broðer dead sie..and forletes þæt wif..onfoe broðer his hlaf ðæs ilce. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. iv. 3 ᵹyf þu godes sunu sy [Vulg. es; Lind. ðu arð, Rushw. siæ, Hatt. syo] cweð þæt þas stanas to hlafe ᵹewurðon. Ibid. 6 ᵹyf þu godes sunu eart [V. es; L. arð; R. sie; H. ert]. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 52 Ilk dai mak we a iorne Till heuin, ef we god men be. 1382 Wyclif Matt. iv. 3 Ȝif thou be [1388 art, Tindale and all vv. to 1611 be, R.V. art] Goddis sone, say that these stoons be maad looues. c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 9 Ȝif it be lente or fyssday take brothe of þe freysshe fysshe. 1534 Tindale Luke xiii. 9 If it beare not then, after that, cut it doune [later vv. thou shalt cut it downe]. 1611 Bible John xx. 15 Sir, if thou haue borne [Vulg. sustulisti; Wyclif, Genev., Rhem., R.V. hast; Tindale, Cranmer have borne] him hence, tell me where thou hast layd him. ― Phil. ii. 1 If there bee therefore any consolation in Christ..Fulfill ye my ioy. 1759 Johnson Idler No. 78 ¶5 If there be any man faultless, bring him forth into publick view. Mod. If he come to-morrow, send for me. |
(β) with principal clause in future indic. (or its equivalent).
| 13.. Cursor M. 6675 (Gött.) If he to min auter fly Men sal him þein draw to die. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 500 If gold ruste, what shal Iren doo? c 1400 Mandeville (1839) iii. 25 Ȝif thou kysse me, thou schalt have alle this Tresoure. Ibid. (Roxb.) v. 14 If þou ga noght, þou schall hafe grete harme. c 1450 Myrc 67 Ȝef thow do þus thow schalt be dere To alle men that sen and here. 1526 Tindale Luke x. 6 And yf the sonne of peace be thare, youre peace shall rest apon hym. 1533 More Debell. Salem Wks. 956/1 He that dyeth in deadly sinne, shall goe to the deuill, if goddes word be true. 1611 Bible Judg. xvi. 17 If I bee shauen..I shall become weake, and bee like any other man. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 142 If part of the money..be paid off, and a farther sum is borrowed..no redemption will be granted unless both sums are paid. |
(γ) with principal clause in pres. indic.
| c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) Prol. 2 If we be riȝt childer of Criste, we awe for to chalange þe heritage þat oure fader left to vs. Ibid. i. 4 If a man come fro þe west partys of þe werld..he may..wende thurgh Almayne. 1450 Myrc 22 Luytel ys worthy þy prechynge, Ȝef thow be of euyle lyuynge. 1526 Tindale John i. 25 Why baptisest thou then yf thou be nott Christ, nor Helias? 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. i. 71 If a Iew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? 1611 Bible John xv. 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 1648 W. Jenkyn Blind Guide i. 7 If I be so young, I am in part excused for my illiteratenesse. 1654 Z. Coke Logick (1657) 118 [Ps. cxxvii. 1] If the Lord keep not the citie, the keepers watch in vain. 1839 Times 11 Apr., If we be not all Durhamised within another month, it is not from any sensible relaxation in the work of projected mischief. 1851 E. A. Litton Ch. of Christ iv. (1898) 163 If it [the Church] be in its essence as visible a body as the republic of Venice, we have no need of faith to realise its existence. |
(δ) with principal clause of other form.
| 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. i. vi. §4 If we believe Joseph Scaliger, there could not be an Eclipse of the Sun at the time affirmed by Tarrutius. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 736 For sev'n continu'd Months, if Fame say true, The wretched Swain his Sorrows did renew. |
b. Conditional clause in pa. subj. (in past sense), with principal clause in indic. or imper.
| a 1400 Octouian 841 Yef he were er y-bete sore, Thanne was he bete moche more. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, i. iii. 201 If euer I were Traitor, My name be blotted from the booke of Life. 1601 ― Jul. C. iii. ii. 84 If it were so, it was a greeuous Fault, And greeuously hath Cæsar answer'd it. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. cxxii, If thou wert with me, and the grave Divide us not, be with me now. |
c. Conditional clause in subjunctive with should in present or future sense (‘if it should rain to-day or to-morrow’) with principal clause in imperative, or in future, present, or pres. perf. indicative (‘do not come’, ‘I shall not come’, ‘I am prepared for it’, ‘I have planned something else’).
| 1821–3 Rogers Italy xviii. 1 If ever you should come to Modena..Stop at a Palace near the Reggio-gate. 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. vii, If you should go near Barnard Castle, there is good ale at the King's Head. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. xliv, If such a dreamy touch should fall, O turn thee round, resolve the doubt. Mod. If you should come across him, tell him that I am looking for him. |
3. With both protasis and apodosis in the subjunctive. Expressing a mere hypothesis which is admittedly not true or realized, and stating what would be the logical or natural consequence of its truth or realization. a. Conditional clause in pa. subj., with present or future sense (‘if you came’, ‘should come’, ‘were to come’ now or to-morrow). spec. if I were you.
| 898 O.E. Chron. an. 894 Swa þæt he mehte æᵹþerne ᵹeræcan ᵹif hie æniᵹne feld secan wolden. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John viii. 42 ᵹif god wære eowre fæder, witodlice ᵹe lufedon me [Lind. ᵹif god faeder iuer uoere ᵹie ualde lufiᵹa..mec]. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 27 He hit wolde slon, yef he hit michte finde. c 1300 Havelok 1974 Yif he ne were, ich were nou ded. a 1307 Thrush & Night. in Rel. Ant. I. 241 This world were nout ȝif wimen nere. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 217 If Peter were now alyve..he wolde seie þei weren not prestis of Crist. 1382 ― John xviii. 30 If this were not a mysdoer, we hadden not bitakun hym to thee [1582 Rhem., If he vvere not a malefactour, vve vvould not haue deliuered him vp to thee]. 1529 More Dyaloge ii. Wks. 200/1 Yet wer it a dampnable errour to worship anye if we shoulde worship none at all. c 1615 Fletcher Mad Lover i. i, If I were given to that vanity..What a most precious subject had I purchased. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xvi, And if I were a king, it should be otherwise. 1814 Jane Austen Mansf. Park I. vi. 109 If I were you, I should not think of the expense. Ibid. 112 ‘Mr Rushworth,’ said Lady Bertram, ‘if I were you, I would have a very pretty shrubbery. One likes to get out into a shrubbery in fine weather.’ 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. i. I. 3, I should very imperfectly execute the task..if I were merely to treat of battles and sieges. 1869 Trollope Phineas Finn II. xli. 30 ‘Of course you'll go,’ said Phineas. ‘I should, if I were you.’ a 1899 Mod. If he were to come, what should we do? If he came, I should take to flight. If I were you, I would not do it. If they should meet you, it would be awkward. 1974 D. Gray Dead Give Away vi. 65 I'd lay off stirring up trouble for a bit if I were you. |
b. Conditional clause in pluperf. subj., with past sense (‘if he had come’, ‘would have come’).
| 1382 Wyclif John xi. 21 Lord, if thou haddist be here, my brother hadde not be deed [1539 Cranmer, Lord, yf thou haddest bene here, my brother had not dyed]. 1482 Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 50 He hadde browghte plesaunte worde and tytyngys of my dampnacyon to hys father the deuyl, yeffe the mercye and goodnes of my lorde sente Nycholas had not wythstonde hym. 1614 Bp. Hall Recoll. Treat. 610 If they had beene as hot for God, as they were for themselves, it had beene happy. 1665 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 120 Shame it were, if..we had gathered nothing. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) III. 419 If he had altered it..it would descend to the sister of the whole blood. 1819 Shelley Cenci ii. i, If he Had killed me, he had done a kinder deed. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. II. 256 All his difficulties would have been greatly augmented if Anne had declared herself favourable to the Indulgence. Mod. If he would have consented, all would have been right. |
4. In pregnant senses: a. Even if, even though; though; granted that.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 579 (Fairf.) Þe saule wiþ-outen wene to ilk a man hit ys vn-seyne, if [Cott. þof; Gött. þou; Trin. þouȝe] hit of alle haue a siȝt. [1340 Hampole Psalter lxxi. 14 (15th c. MS.) Honorable..is þe name of pore before him, gife it be disspised before men.] 1572 R. H. tr. Lauaterus' Ghostes (1596) 197 If Spirites of their owne accorde woulde gladly tell vs many thinges: yet wee must not giue eare vnto them. 1848 [see twitch v.1 8 a]. a 1899 Mod. If he did say so, you needn't believe him. If they are poor, they are at any rate happy. 1965 New Statesman 16 Apr. 598/3 If Mr Stewart is top of the Tory pops, other ministers are also high up in the charts. 1967 Listener 17 Aug. 205/1 If my father's people were mill-workers.., my mother's people were agricultural workers. 1969 Ibid. 24 Apr. 585/1 If Mozart was a life-long admirer of J. C. Bach, his views on Clementi were disparaging, to put it mildly. |
† b. = If it is certain or true that; as sure as. Obs. rare.
| 1605 Shakes. Macb. iii. iv. 74 If I stand heere, I saw him. |
5. if that (north. if at) was formerly in use for the simple ‘if’. Now arch.
| c 1200 Ormin Ded. 249 He shall o Domess daȝȝ Uss gifenn heffness blisse, Ȝiff þatt we shulenn wurrþi ben. a 1300 Dame Siriz in Wright Anecd. 3 If that thou me tellest skil I shal don after thi wil. 1307 Elegy Edw. I, iv, Aȝein the hethene forte fyhte..Myself ycholde ȝef that y myhte. c 1340 Cursor M. 5869 (Fairf.) Þai salle for-soþ if atte I may Wirk ij dayes werk a-pon a day. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 144 She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a Mous Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. c 1450 Guy Warw. (C.) 1809 Yf þat y may, Wyth my handys y schall assay. 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) I. 165 In the meane space, if that death vntretable Arrest the. 1605 Shakes. Lear v. iii. 262 If that her breath will mist or staine the stone, Why, then she liues. 1821 Byron Sardan. iv. i. 482 If that you conquer, I live to joy in your great triumph. |
6. The conditional clause is often elliptical, and may dwindle down to if and a word or phrase sufficient to suggest the complete sense; so if not (= if a thing is, be, or were not), formerly sometimes = ‘unless, except’; if any (see any a. 2); if anything, if in any degree, perhaps even; if not, why not (see why adv. 4 b).
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 725 Knowe it ȝiue ȝe can. 1560 Bible (Genev.) Dan. iii. 18 Our God..wil deliuer vs.. But if not, be it knowen to thee, o King, y{supt} we wil not serue thy gods. 1642 Perkins' Prof. Bk. ii. §139. 61 He hath not authoritie to deliver it, if not by commandement. 1665 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 173 Frogs are of great vertue, if physically used. 1711 If any [see any a. 2]. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. v, We are not to judge of the feelings of others by what we might feel if in their place. 1836 G. C. Lewis Let. 15 July (1870) 54 The writer says that the wages are nearly equal; if anything, the King's wages are rather the lowest. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 13 The style of Bede, if not elegant Latin, is yet correct, sufficiently classical. 1851 H. Spencer Social Statics xxviii. 392 If anything, we were comparatively deficient in these respects. 1873 Lytton Kenelm Chillingly II. iv. vi. 257 Shall I ever be in love? and if not, why not? 1882 Knowledge II. 70 So that she might be cured, if possible. 1884 Illustr. Lond. News 5 July 18/1 He measured six feet two, if an inch; he weighed eighteen stone, if a pound. 1895 R. H. Sherard in Bookman Oct. 16/2 [He] labours hard over his proofs of the book, though little, if at all, over the newspaper proofs. 1909 P. A. Vaile Mod. Golf v. 92 If anything, touch the grass first. 1921 Wireless World IX. 187/1 L. M. T... asks..(3) If a diagram he sends is correct and, if not, why not. 1931 Belloc Hist. Eng. IV. ii. i. 260 If anything the ritual of King-worship was even more exaggerated in her case than in the case of Henry or of Edward. 1944 K. A. Esdaile St. Martin in the Fields ii. 50 If anything, the destruction was greater than in 1547. 1967 Listener 23 Feb. 261/1 At the start of every month I have to send him an account..of my earnings, if any. |
7. The conditional clause alone (by aposiopesis of the principal clause) is sometimes used as an exclamation to express (a) a wish or determination, e.g. If I had only known! (sc. I would have done so and so); (b) surprise or indignation, e.g. If ever I heard the like of that! The wretch! if he has not smashed the window!
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xix. 42 ᵹif þu wistest and witod⁓lice on þysum þinum dæᵹe þe ðe to sybbe synt. 1382 Wyclif ibid., If thou haddist knowe, and thou, and sotheli in this thi day. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 393 If this kingdom would glorify the Lord in my behalf! 1702 Vanbrugh False Friend iii. ii, If he is not equipped for a housebreaker! 1846 Swell's Night Guide 49 And, so help me never! if his nibs didn't go and dossed with her the same night. 1914 Sat. Even. Post 4 Apr. 10/1 ‘If it ain't Frisco Red!’ exclaimed one prone figure. 1925 T. Dreiser Amer. Trag. I. xvii. 145 ‘Oh, Gee, well, ain't that the limit?’.. ‘If you aren't the grouch.’ Ibid. II. iii. 184 Well, by jing, if it ain't Tom. |
¶ If of the conditional clause is often omitted (esp. with the subjunctive), its effect being usually given by inverting the order of subject and verb.
Formerly sometimes without inversion, esp. after than, and after glad (where if was perhaps confused with that).
| c 1275 Lay. 9295 Ac þare nadde he hi-come, nere hit [c 1205 ȝif hit nere] for swikedome. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2473 Abbe þou poer ynou þou miȝt be glad & bliþe. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 165 Were þere a belle on here beiȝ..Men myȝte wite where þei went. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 34, I were right now of tales desolaat, Nere that a Marchant..Me taughte a tale. c 1460 Towneley Myst. ii. 339 Be I taken I be bot dede. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. iii. ii. 232 Were I Brutus, and Brutus Antony, there were an Antony, Would ruffle vp your Spirits. 1613 ― Hen. VIII, iii. ii. 456 Had I but seru'd my God, with halfe the Zeale..he would not in mine Age Haue left me. 1649 Lovelace To Lucasta, on going to the Wars, I could not love thee (Deare) so much, Lov'd I not Honour more. 1707 Watts Hymn, ‘When I survey’ v, Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small. 1747 Morell Joshua Air, O had I Jubal's lyre..To strains like his would I aspire. 1813 Byron Corsair i. xvii, In three days (serve the breeze) the sun shall shine On our return. 1838 Lytton Richelieu ii. i, Were Richelieu dead—his power were mine. Mod. I will come to-morrow, please God. Should you desire an interview, I shall not refuse to meet you. Should you find them, kindly let me know. You would see for yourself, were you here. Had they been careful this need not have happened. |
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. (1812) I. cccl. 794 The lordes..spared no more money than it had fallen fro the clowdes. 1654 D. Osborne Lett. (1888) 279 What would I give I could avoid it when people speak of you? 1761 Murphy All in Wrong iv. iv, Whatever he produces..I shall be glad you will, at any time, send to me. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia viii. viii, I shall be glad you will inform me of it. 1802 tr. Ducray-Duminil's Victor IV. 227, I would give something he was here. 1806 Southey in Life (1850) III. 26, I should be glad this compromise were made. |
8. Phrases. (See also even if, what if.) † a. all if, if all: even if, even though, although. (See all C. 10 a, b.) Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 4246 (Cott.) Alle if [Gött. Al þou] þaire trauþe al sundre ware. c 1300 Ibid. 27674 (Cott. Galba) If all him-self neuer vnderstode. c 1340 Ibid. 1991 (Fairf.) Al if na rayne on erþ felle. 1340–1557 [see all C. 10 b]. |
b. an if, and if (see an conj. 2, and C. 1 b) = If. (Also occas. if an.) arch.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 282 An doȝter..Ich ȝivis þe to þi wif & ȝif þou wolt bileue here. 1394–1857 An if, and if [see and C. 1 b]. 1588, 1817 An if [see an conj. 2]. 1749 If an [see an conj. 2]. |
c. as if, followed by a clause containing a past subjunctive (sometimes ellipt.: cf. 6), or an infinitive expressing purpose or destination: As the case would be if; as though. (See as conj. 9 b.)
Also followed by a clause containing the present tense. Further examples in Fowler King's Eng. (ed. 3) pp. 165–6.
| [a 1000 Kent. Glosses 219 in Kluge Angelsächs. Lesebuch 59 Vel ut si avis festinet, oððe swa ᵹif efst fuᵹel.] c 1290 Michael 411 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 311 Ase ȝif þov heolde ane clere candele bi-side an Appel riȝt. c 1410 Love Bonavent. Mirr. xxxiv. (Gibbs MS.) lf. 64 As ȝeue he herd oure lord bydde hym ryse. 1535 Coverdale Prov. vii. 23 Like as yf a byrde haisted to the snare. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 136 Buying pewter, brasse, and such like implements, as if to set up house-keeping. 1693 Dryden tr. Persius' Satires I. 61 As if 'tis nothing worth that lies conceal'd. 1751 H. Fielding Amelia II. v. iii. 110 They seem indeed to be over-burthened with Limbs, which they know not how to use, as if when Nature hath finished her Work, the Dancing-Master still is necessary to put it in Motion. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. iii, He defended his opinions with as much obstinacy as if he had been my patron. 1821 Shelley Adonais xi, One..Washed his light limbs as if embalming them. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 8 Treating history as if it were a series of tableaux vivants intended to please the eye. 1862 Thackeray Philip II. viii. 173 As if a coarse woman..has a right to lead a guileless nature into wrong! 1963 D. Storey Radcliffe xxxvi. 367 As if everything that appears to live..is simply imitating some distant and incoherent ideal. |
† d. but if: unless, except. Obs.
| c 1200–1596 [see but conj. 10 b]. |
† e. if case be (that): if it befall or happen (that). Also if case that. (See case n.1 11.)
| 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. cxi. [cvii.] 318 If case that my doughter haue sonne or doughter by hym. 1535–1630 [see case n.1 11]. |
f. if so be (that), if it happen that, supposing that: a somewhat rhetorical equivalent of simple ‘if’. arch. and dial. (Also occas. if so were that; ellipt. † if so.)
| [1390 Gower Conf. III. 5 And if so is that thou so be, Tell me thy shrift, in privete. 1414 Rolls Parlt. IV. 22 Ȝif hit be so that they axke you by spekyng, or by writyng.] 1495–6 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 114 Thynking that to be our next way, if so were that we wold not advise you to com not up by the pryvie seale. a 1547 Surrey æneid iv. 820 If so that yonder wicked head must needes Recover port. 1559 Morwyng Evonym. 175 If so be it the mesure of the bloud excied three sextares. 1611 Bible Josh. xiv. 12 If so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall bee able to driue them out. 1665 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 173 If so be we left the Road,..they would wind about our horses legs. 1749 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) II. cciii. 269 If so be that I can get that affair done by the next post, I will not fail for to give your Lordship an account of it. 1861 Cornh. Mag. Aug. 183 ‘It's my opinion that any man can be a duke if so be it's born to him.’ |
g. if and when, in reference to a future time but with a strong element of doubt.
| 1926 Fowler Mod. Eng. Usage 254/1 If & when. Any writer who uses this formula lays himself open to entirely reasonable suspicions on the part of his readers... There is the suspicion that he is a timid swordsman who thinks he will be safer with a second sword in his left hand. 1940 G. B. Shaw Matter with Ireland (1962) 283 If and when the situation becomes grave enough to convince America that I have no alternative, I will reoccupy your ports. 1963 Amer. Speech XXXVIII. 255 If and when a study of local words in Missouri appears, we will be able to trace the same patterns in that state too. |
II. 9. Introducing a noun-clause depending on the verb see, ask, learn, doubt, know, or the like: Whether. † Also, formerly, if that.
| Beowulf (Z.) 273 Þu wast ᵹif hit is swa we soþlice secgan hyrdon. Ibid. 1319 Frægn ᵹif him wære æfter neod-laðu niht ᵹe-tæse. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 219 Aȝen chire to chiesen ȝief [h]y wolden hare sceappinde lufie. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 81 Sum fortocne..warbi we mihten cnowen ȝif it soð were þat þu seist. a 1400 Isumbras 241 Aske we thiese folkes of þaire mete, And luke ȝife we maye any gete. 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 38 He loked..a boute yf ony body had seen hym. 1594 First Pt. Contention (1843) 37 We should not question if that he should live. 1611 Bible Gen. viii. 8 Hee sent foorth a doue from him, to see if the waters were abated. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 163 Observe, if he disdains to yield the Prize. 1717 Prior Alma iii. 71 She doubts if two and two make four. 1895 Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 623/1 He asked if his wife was there. |
10. Comb. if-clause, a clause of condition or supposition introduced by the word if; if-shot, if-stroke Cricket, ‘a stroke considered to be unsound and likely to cause the batsman's dismissal if the ball is hit’ (Lewis).
| 1893 Turner & Hallidie Primary Eng. Gram. 113 The if-clause tells us when, or under what circumstances the desert would be a paradise. 1904 C. T. Onions Adv. Eng. Syntax 57 A Complex Sentence consisting of an Adverb Clause of Condition (if If-Clause, sometimes called the Protasis) and a Principal Clause (sometimes called the Apodosis) is called a Conditional Sentence. 1926 Fowler Mod. Eng. Usage 576/2 It [sc. the word were] is entirely out of place in an if-clause concerned with past actualities & not answered by a were or would be in the apodosis. 1964 English Studies XLV. 85 The meaningful weight of the complete sentence may move from the if-clause to the headclause. 1966 G. N. Leech Eng. in Advertising vi. 61 Favourite openings are..if clauses. |
| 1897 K. S. Ranjitsinhji Jubilee Bk. Cricket iv. 165 In its worst form this [slipping the ball] is commonly known nowadays as the ‘if-stroke’. Originally it was called the ‘but-stroke’, after its great exponent, the Sussex wicket-keeper [Butt]; but some wag suggested that it should be called in preference the ‘if-stroke’, because if you hit the ball you are nearly sure to be out. 1920 D. J. Knight in P. F. Warner Cricket 36 It is essentially an ‘if’ shot, and must, to a certain extent, be unsound. 1922 Cricketer Ann. 1922–23 62 We will not indulge in ‘cowshots’ or ‘ifshots’. |
B. n. The conditional conjunction (see A.) used as a name for itself; hence, a condition, a supposition. (Cf. but.) Often in the tautological collocation ifs and ands (ans): see and C. = if.
| 1513 More Rich. III (1883) 47 What, quod the protectour, thou seruest me, I wene, with iffes and with andes. 1532 ― Confut. Tindale Wks. 537/1 Though he put in for shame repentaunce thereunto, with Iffes. c 1585 R. Browne Answ. Cartwright 24 By his iffs and supposings. 1613 Answ. Uncasing of Machivils Instr. G, With ifs and ands he begins to say. 1670 Dryden 1st Pt. Conq. Granada ii. i, Abdal. If I am king, and if my brother die—Lyndar. Two ifs scarce make one possibility. a 1711 Ken Sion Poet. Wks. 1721 IV. 409 Ah if, sad if! Love should decay! 1849 Hare Par. Serm. II. 455 We are always raking up some if or other, to disturb our faith. 1868 Geo. Eliot Sp. Gipsy ii. 214 'Tis but a mirror, shows one image forth, And leaves the future dark with endless ‘ifs’. |
Hence if v., to say or use ‘if’: only in iffing.
| 1687 R. L'Estrange Answ. Diss. 21 The Letter is iffing of it now again too; with a ‘What if the Mercenary Ministers [etc.]’. 1887 Pierre (Dakota) Collegian II. No. 3. 2 But iffing will not endow a college. |