Hypothetical cases (3)
I believe the answer is:
ifs
'hypothetical cases' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for ifs that I've seen before include "Suppositions, may be accompanied by buts" , "Conditional conjunctions" , "Conditions or suppositions, may join with buts" , "If . . . and ands were pots and pans" , "No ...,ands or buts, no argument allowed" .)