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need Definition

need (nēd)

noun

  1. necessity or obligation created by some situation no need to worry
  2. a lack of something useful, required, or desired to have need of a rest
  3. something useful, required, or desired that is lacking; want; requirement list your daily needs
    1. a condition in which there is a deficiency of something, or one requiring relief or supply a friend in need
    2. a condition of poverty, or extreme want

Etymology: ME nede < OE nied, akin to Ger not, Goth nauths < IE *neuti- < base *neu-, to collapse with weariness > Welsh newyn, starvation

transitive verb

to have need of; want or lack; require: need is often used as an auxiliary, either uninflected and followed by an infinitive without to, or inflected and followed by an infinitive with to, meaning “to be obliged, must” he need not come, he needs to be careful

intransitive verb

  1. Archaic to be necessary; chiefly in impersonal constructions it needs not
  2. to be in need

need Related Forms

need′er noun

need Idioms

have need to

to be compelled or required to; must

if need be

if it is required; if the occasion demands

need Synonyms

need

n.

  1. Poverty

    indigence, penury, pennilessness; see poverty 1.

  2. Lack

    insufficiency, shortage, inadequacy; see lack 1, 2.

  3. A requirement

    necessity, requirement, requisite, obligation, compulsion, exigency, demand, call, want, essential, necessary, urgency, matter of life and death, desideratum, sine qua non (Latin), must*; see also necessity 1, 2, 3, requirement 2.

need refers to a pressing requirement of something essential or desirable that is lacking; necessity, a more formal word, suggests an imperative need for something indispensable but lacks the emotional connotations of needthey are in need of food, food is a necessity for all living things; exigency refers to a necessity created by some emergency, crisis, or compelling circumstances the exigencies created by the flood; requisite applies to something that is indispensable to a particular end or purpose a sense of rhythm is a requisite in a dancer

have need to

be compelled to, require, want; see must.

if need be

if it is required, if the occasion demands, if necessary; see if.

need Synonyms

need

v.

  1. lack, require, feel the necessity for, be in need, suffer privation, be in want, be destitute, be short, be inadequate, have occasion for, feel a dearth, have use for, have need for, miss, be without, do without, be needy, be poor, be bereft, be deprived of, be deficient in, go hungry, not approach, live from hand to mouth, feel the pinch*, be down and out*, be hard up*, be up against it*, do with*; see also want 1.

    Antonyms own*, have*, hold. *

  2. Require

    demand, necessitate, oblige; see must, need to. See syn. study at lack.

need Usage Examples

Infinitive complement

  • know: I need to know the address of the proxy to set up my program.
  • do: All you need to do is to learn the rules.. .
  • get: Now we need to get rid of the pressure.
  • consider: You will, of course, need to consider carefully your career options.
  • ensure: Two approaches to audit are needed to ensure a thorough review of the system.

Converse of object

  • meet: Both colleges share a coordinated approach in their aim to meet the diverse needs of the local learning communities.
  • recognize: The Council recognize the need to improve and to ensure core services are maintained and enhanced, while delivering successful, high quality regeneration.
  • identify: The social approach is likely to identify future needs whereas other approaches concentrate on improvement in current products.
  • highlight: This contrast highlights the need for an effective anthelmintic program to aid the health status of animals.
  • eliminate: Mediation does not eliminate the need for your own solicitor.
  • feel: He did not feel the need to investigate the complaint any further.

Adjective modifier

  • special: The leadership team will need to take into account the Special Needs of any members of the Unit.
  • educational: That includes children with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language.
  • individual: Being able to include their products in our offering means we can provide the best pick and mix solution to match individual client needs.
  • desperate: The formatting is in desperate need of a makeover.
  • unmet: In addition, we have a strong and varied pipeline of potential products in areas where there is clearly an unmet clinical need.
  • particular: Face up to yourself and your particular needs, knowing that God will deal with these if you give him time and room.

Object

  • help: You can then decide whether something is serious enough to need medical help.
  • assistance: If after reading our information you feel you need immediate assistance in helping choose the.. .

Noun used with modifier

housing: But the problem of housing need is even more extensive.

Browse dictionary entries near need

  1. ‹ nee
  2. ‹ Nederland
  3. ‹ Ned
  4. ‹ nectary
  5. ‹ nectarine
  6. ‹ nectar
  7. ‹ necrotomy
  8. ‹ necrotizing
  9. ‹ necrosis
  10. ‹ necropsy
  1. need to ›
  2. needed ›
  3. needful ›
  4. neediness ›
  5. needle ›
  6. needle valve ›
  7. needlefish ›
  8. needlepoint ›
  9. needless ›
  10. needlewoman ›