imp. of Can. [ OF. coude. The l was inserted by mistake, under the influence of should and would. ] Was, should be, or would be, able, capable, or susceptible. Used as an auxiliary, in the past tense or in the conditional present. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. coulée, fr. couler to run or flow. ] A stream; (Geol.) a stream of lava. Also, in the Western United States, the bed of a stream, even if dry, when deep and having inclined sides; distinguished from a cañon, which has precipitous sides. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] 1. Color; -- chiefly used in a few French phrases, as couler de rose, color of rose; and hence, adjectively, rose-colored; roseate. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A suit of cards, as hearts or clubs; -- used in some French games. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. 1. A fluting in a sword blade. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. The outside stock exchange, or “curb market, ” of Paris. [ French Use ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ F., fr. couler to flow, glide. ] 1. A piece of timber having a groove in which something glides. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of the side scenes of the stage in a theater, or the space included between the side scenes. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., a strainer. ] 1. A deep gorge; a gully. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Hydraul. Engin.) A dredging machine for excavating canals, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ From Coulomb, a French physicist and electrican. ] (Physics) The standard unit of quantity in electrical measurements. It is the quantity of electricity conveyed in one second by the current produced by an electro-motive force of one volt acting in a circuit having a resistance of one ohm, or the quantity transferred by one ampère in one second. Formerly called weber. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Elec.) Any instrument by which electricity can be measured in coulombs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

(Physics) The law that the force exerted between two electric or magnetic charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely to the square of the distance between them. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Same as Colter. [ 1913 Webster ]