necessaries

Variant of necessary

necessary definition

nec·es·sary (nes′ə ser′ē)

adjective

  1. that cannot be dispensed with; essential; indispensable the nutriments necessary to life
  2. resulting from necessity; inevitable a necessary result
    1. that must be done; mandatory; not voluntary
    2. not free to choose; compelled by circumstances a necessary agent
  4. inherent in the situation; undeniable; unavoidable from the premises
  5. Archaic rendering some essential and intimate service

Etymology: ME < L necessarius < necesse, unavoidable, necessary < ne-, not + cedere, to give way: see cede

noun pl. necessaries -·sar′·ies

  1. a necessary thing; thing essential to life, some purpose, etc.: often used in pl.
  2. Dialectal a privy or toilet
  3. Law those things essential to maintaining a dependent or incompetent in comfort and well-being

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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