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