if

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1. If is followed by the subjunctive form were (instead of was) when the condition it introduces is hypothetical or impossible to fulfil, as in If I were younger, I'd travel the world. Was is used (1) informally in such cases (If I was younger, I'd travel the world), and (2) to indicate past tense in which the condition is capable of fulfilment (If I was younger, I wasn't any wiser). Use of the subjunctive form be (instead of am, is, or are) is now decidedly old-fashioned: If this be true, all is not lost. See subjunctive mood.

2. If and whether are both used to introduce noun clauses as in Tell me if / whether you can come, but whether is regarded as somewhat more formal and is preferable in avoiding possible ambiguity (in the sentence just given, a possible interpretation, though not the natural one, when if is used is 'If you can come, tell me (some other thing)'.

3. If and though are both possible in constructions of the type a cheap, if/though risky method, although again there is sometimes a small risk of ambiguity in the use of if.

4. If is sometimes used in a clause without any continuation, either as a way of making a strong assertion or as a polite request. This use is normally limited to conversation:

Well, if that isn't the best thing I've heard since I was home—Compton Mackenzie, 1919

'There's your tea. Drink it.'...'If I could have another lump of sugar.'—Graham Greene, 1988

Natasha, if I could see you for a minute, please—fiction website, American English 2004 [Old English (up to 1150)C].

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Idioms beginning with if:
if anything
if at first you don't succeed, try, try again
if it ain't broke don't fix it
if only
if the shoe fits, wear it
if wishes were horses
if worst comes to worst
if you can't beat 'em, join 'em
if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen

See also as if; damned if I do, damned if I don't; make as if to; no ifs or buts; nothing if not; (if) push comes to shove; what if.

sign description: The I-handshape moves out from the side of the forehead.

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abbr. for initiation factor. Suffixed numerals are added to designate individual factors, e.g. IF-1, IF-2, IF-2a, If-3. Eukaryotic initiation factors are generally denoted by the prefix 'e'' e.g. eIF-2, eIF-3.

Previous:	IEP, IEF, IED
Next:	IF-1, IF-2, IF-3

For a list of words related to if, see:

• Conjunctions
• Limitations and Conditions

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See words rhyming with "if."

  See crossword solutions for the clue If.

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Dansk (Danish)
conj. - hvis
n. - betingelser, usikkerhed

idioms:

• if ever    hvis nogensinde
• if not    hvis ikke, ellers, i modsat fald
• if only    hvis bare, gid
• if you like    hvis du vil
• ifs and buts    protester, forbehold
• not as if    ikke som om, ikke fordi

abbr. - intravenous feeding, intravenøs ernæring

Nederlands (Dutch)
als, indien, of, vraagteken, onzekere factor

Français (French)
conj. - si, pourvu que, à la condition que, à condition de, tenant compte du fait que, même si, bien que
n. - les si et les mais, (fig) point d'interrogation, condition, exigence, stipulation

idioms:

• if ever    si jamais
• if not    si non
• if only    si seulement
• if you like    si vous voulez
• ifs and buts    incertitudes, (planer) des incertitudes
• it's not as if    ce n'est pas comme si

abbr. - (abrév = intermediate frequency) (Radio) fréquence intermédiaire

Deutsch (German)
conj. - wenn, falls, ob
n. - Wenn

idioms:

• if ever    wenn jemals
• if not    wenn nicht
• if only    wenn nur
• if you like    wenn du möchtest
• ifs and buts    Wenn und Aber
• it's not as if    es ist nicht wie...

abbr. - (Radio) Zwischenfrequenz

Ελληνική (Greek)
conj. - εάν, όταν, αν και, μολονότι
n. - εάν

idioms:

• if ever    αν ποτέ, αν τύχει και
• if not    αν όχι
• if only    αχ και να ..., μακάρι να
• if you like    αν θέλεις, αν σου αρέσει
• ifs and buts    υπεκφυγές
• not as if    όχι πως

Italiano (Italian)
purché, se

idioms:

• if anything    se mai
• if ever    semmai
• if not    se non
• if only    se solo
• if you like    se vuoi
• not as if    non come se

Português (Portuguese)
conj. - se
n. - condição (f)

idioms:

• if ever    se alguma vez
• if not    se não
• if only    se somente
• if you like    se você quiser
• not as if    não como se

Русский (Russian)
если, пусть, хотя, ли, если бы

idioms:

• if ever    никогда
• if not    если не, ...(то), что-что, а уж
• if only    хотя бы только, если бы, для того только
• if you like    если хотите
• not as if    не так, как если бы

Español (Spanish)
conj. - si bien, aunque, si, si es que, en caso que, con tal que
n. - condición , suposición, hipótesis, estipulación

idioms:

• if ever    si alguna vez
• if not    si no
• if only    aunque sea sólo
• if you like    si Ud. desea
• ifs and buts    pegas (objeciones)
• it's not as if    no es como si

abbr. - frecuencia intermedia

Svenska (Swedish)
conj. - om, ifall, såvida, även om
n. - om, villkor

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
DOS命令, 若真则执行, 测试并确定某特定条件真伪

如果, 即使, 假如, 要是, 是否, 条件, 设想

idioms:

• if ever    如果有...
• if not    要是不...
• if only    只要
• if you like    如果你要...
• ifs and buts    借口, 托词
• not as if    不太像...

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
abbr. - DOS命令, 若真則執行, 測試並確定某特定條件真偽

conj. - 如果, 即使, 假如, 要是, 是否
n. - 條件, 設想

idioms:

• if ever    如果有...
• if not    要是不...
• if only    只要
• if you like    如果你要...
• ifs and buts    藉口, 托詞
• not as if    不太像...

한국어 (Korean)
conj. - 만약~라면, ~인지 어떤지, ~라 하더라도
n. - 가정, 조건

abbr. - intermediate frequency (중간주파)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 条件
conj. - もし…ならば, もし…だったなら, たとえ…でも, 万一…なら, …かどうか

idioms:

• if not    そうでなければ
• if you like    よろしかったら, そう言いたければ
• If you must    是非と言うなら
• If you must know    ご承知なら
• ifs and buts    不平や言いわけ
• not as if    なになにの訳じゃない

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(حرف عطف) إذا (الاسم) افتراض‏

עברית (Hebrew)
conj. - ‮אם, אילו, כש-, כאשר, למרות‬
n. - ‮תנאי, הנחה‬
abbr. - ‮תדירות בינונית (של גלי רדיו)‬