From Middle English need, nede, a merger of two terms:
* Old English nīed (West Saxon), nēd (Mercian), nēad (“necessity, compulsion, want”), from Proto-West Germanic *naudi, from Proto-Germanic *naudiz, from Proto-Indo-European *neh₂w- (“death”).
* Old English nēod (“desire, longing”), from Proto-West Germanic *niudi (“desire, eagerness”), from Proto-Indo-European *new- (“to incline, tend, move, push, nod, wave”).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A requirement for something; something needed.
Being so great, I have no need to beg. 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
I've always tried to have few needs beyond food, clothing and shelter.
Our instant needs are not being met.
There's no need to speculate; we can easily find out for sure.
She grew irritated with his constant need for attention.
One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains.[…]But out of sight is out of mind. And that, together with the inherent yuckiness of the subject, means that many old sewers have been neglected and are in dire need of repair. 2014 June 14, “It's a gas”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8891:
Be governed by your needs, not by your fancy. 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:
(countable, uncountable) A desire or craving for the satisfaction of a requirement perceived as essential or primal.
(countable, uncountable) Lack of means of subsistence; poverty; indigence; destitution.
Famine is in thy cheeks;
Need and oppression starveth in thine eyes. c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
la necessitas (something required) · mag 𑂔𑂩𑂳𑂃𑂞 (something required) · ia necessitate (something required) · scn bisognu (something required) · bcl kaipohan (something required) · sh потреба (something required) · tr gereksinim (something required) · it necessità (something required) · mk зорт (something required) · ug ئېھتىياج (something required) · rm basegn (something required) · la opus (something required) · tr gereklilik (something required) · gl necesidade (something required) · az ehtiyac (something required) · hil kinahanglan (something required) · ba ихтыяж (something required) · it requisito (something required) · sh potreba (something required) · sv nöd (lack of means of subsistence) · fi tarve (something required) · lv vajadzība (something required) · mk потреба (something required) · fro besoing (something required) · mt bżonn (something required) · uz lozimlik (something required) · vec bixogno (something required) · ro cerință (something required) · ru необходи́мость (something required) · ml വേണ്ടത് (lack of means of subsistence) · ug كېرەكلىك (something required) · fa نیاز (something required) · kn ಆವಶ್ಯಕ್ತೇ (something required) · gl necesidade (lack of means of subsistence) · ro necesitate (something required) · gd feum (something required) · oc besonh (something required) · ug زۆرۈرىيەت (something required) · tg ниёз (something required) · ga gá (something required) · pdt Bederfniss (something required) · eo senhaveco (lack of means of subsistence) · da nød (lack of means of subsistence) · ko 필요 (something required) · tg зарурат (something required) · tg талабот (something required) · nl nood (lack of means of subsistence) · az imkansızlıq (lack of means of subsistence) · az zərurət (something required) · sk potreba (something required) · fo trongd (something required) · got 𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰 (something required) · bg потре́бност (something required) · ta தேவை (something required) · fi syy (something required) · ml ആവശ്യം (something required) · mr आवश्यकता (something required) · sw haja (something required) · pl potrzeba (lack of means of subsistence) · pt necessidade (lack of means of subsistence) · hi ज़रूरत (something required) · ur ضرورت (something required) · hu szükség (something required) · vi nhu cầu (something required) · ia besonio (something required) · it indigenza (lack of means of subsistence) · lmo bisogn (something required) · fur necessitât (something required) · tl pangangailangan (something required) · sw uhitaji (something required) · he צורך \ צֹרֶךְ (something required) · it bisogno (something required) · uk нужда́ (something required) · de Not (lack of means of subsistence) · ar اِحْتِيَاج (something required) · egy DA-A-r:V32-A2 (something required) · ang þarf (something required) · grc χρεία (lack of means of subsistence) · de Notwendigkeit (something required) · bg ну́жда (something required) · eo bezono (something required) · fur bisugne (something required) · cs potřeba (something required) · uk необхі́дність (something required) · nl behoefte (something required) · fi puute (lack of means of subsistence) · da behov (something required) · cu ноужда (something required) · az ehtiyac (lack of means of subsistence) · lij bezéugno (something required) · ilo kasapulan (something required) · bn প্রয়োজন (something required) · la necessitudo (something required) · sh nužda (something required) · ru потре́бность (something required) · fo tarvur (something required) · ms keperluan (something required) · be патрэ́ба (something required) · fa ضرورت (something required) · es necesidad (lack of means of subsistence) · bg необходи́мост (something required) · hi आवश्यकता (something required) · ota یوقسوللق (lack of means of subsistence) · ar ضَرُورَة (something required) · nrf bésouogn (something required) · gl laceira (lack of means of subsistence) · tr eksik (something required) · sv behov (something required) · ja 必要 (something required) · hy կարիք (something required) · uk ну́жа (something required) · got 𐌽𐌰𐌿𐌸𐍃 (something required) · de Bedarf (something required) · yi באַדאַרף (something required) · ist bazuogno (something required) · uk потре́ба (something required) · mag 𑂏𑂩𑂔 (something required) · bn দরকার (something required) · hil kilinahanglanon (something required) · ru потре́ба (something required) · ceb kinahanglan (something required) · ug لازىملىق (something required) · orv нужа (something required) · tr ihtiyaç (something required) · grc χρεία (something required) · hy անհրաժեշտություն (something required) · ca necessitat (lack of means of subsistence) · io bezono (something required) · mk нужда (something required) · es necesidad (something required) · ru нужда́ (something required) · az darlıq-korluq (lack of means of subsistence) · uz ehtiyoj (something required) · te అవసరము (something required) · is þörf (something required) · war kinahanglan (something required) · fr besoin (something required) · ug ھاجەت (something required) · ar حَاجَة (something required) · bg бе́дност (lack of means of subsistence) · hu szükséglet (lack of means of subsistence) · sh нужда (something required) · ro nevoie (something required) · oc necessitat (lack of means of subsistence) · pag kaokulan (something required) · sq nevojë (something required) · zdj hadja (something required) · de Bedürfnis (something required) · fr nécessité (something required) · pl potrzeba (something required) · tl kailangan (something required) · es menesteres (something required) · cmn 需求 (something required) · pt necessidade (something required) · mr गरज (something required) · fa احتیاج (something required) · pdt Muss (something required) · be ну́жа (something required) · ba кәрәклек (something required) · af need (something required) · el ανάγκη (something required) · ga riachtanas (something required) · eo bezonaĵo (something required) · sa āvaśyakatā • (āvaśyakatā) stem, f necessity, inevitability (something required) · got 𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰 (lack of means of subsistence) · fo tørvur (something required) · ht bezwen (something required) · osx tharf (something required) · ca necessitat (something required) · it esigenza (something required) · fi köyhyys (lack of means of subsistence) · eu behar (something required) · ml വേണം (something required) · war kasuko (something required) · es egestad (lack of means of subsistence)
From Middle English neden, from Old English nēodian.
Meanings
(transitive) To have an absolute requirement for.
You do not always need to go to the library to study. You may use the Internet.
Living things need water to survive.
She needed convincing that I was what she really needed.
Scotland needed a victory by eight points to have a realistic chance of progressing to the knock-out stages, and for long periods of a ferocious contest looked as if they might pull it off. 2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport:
(transitive) To want strongly; to feel that one must have something.
After ten days of hiking, I needed a shower and a shave.
Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal. 2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
(in the negative and interrogative, modal) To be obliged or required (to do something).
I was wondering if I need fill in more forms. - No, that's the only one you need fill out.
I need never have packed my set of sunglasses - it rained all day every day.
I need not go if I don't want to, need I?
(intransitive) To be required; to be necessary.
When we have done it, we have done our duty, and all that is in our power, and indeed all that needs. 1694, [John Locke], chapter 21, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Thomas Dring, […]; and Samuel Manship, […], →OCLC, book II, page 143:
Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around. 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:
(obsolete, transitive) To be necessary (to someone).
More ample spirit, then hitherto was wount, / Here needes me […] 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
mn дутагдах (to have an absolute requirement for) · tr gerekmek (to have an absolute requirement for) · alt керексинер (to have an absolute requirement for) · az lazım olmaq (to have an absolute requirement for) · sh trebati (to have an absolute requirement for) · id memerlukan (to have an absolute requirement for) · nl moeten (to be obliged to) · ka საჭიროება (to have an absolute requirement for) · et vajama (to have an absolute requirement for) · sl potrebovati (to want strongly) · ru быть ну́жным (to have an absolute requirement for) · hy կարիք ունենալ (to have an absolute requirement for) · pt precisar (to want strongly) · cs potřebovat (to have an absolute requirement for) · fa نیاز داشتن (to want strongly) · nv tʼáá ákónéehee átʼé (to have an absolute requirement for) · az gərəkmək (to have an absolute requirement for) · ca requerir (to have an absolute requirement for) · la requīrō (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi olla välttämätöntä (to be required or necessary) · de brauchen (to have an absolute requirement for) · gl precisar (to have an absolute requirement for) · got 𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌽 (to be obliged to) · da have brug for (to have an absolute requirement for) · vi cần phải (to be obliged to) · sl rabiti (to have an absolute requirement for) · es necesitar (to be obliged to) · osx thurƀan (to have an absolute requirement for) · cmn 得 (to be obliged to) · la desidero (to want strongly) · grc δέω (to have an absolute requirement for) · id perlu (to want strongly) · it avere bisogno di (to have an absolute requirement for) · nl vereisen (to have an absolute requirement for) · ga caithfidh (to be obliged to) · ja 要る (to have an absolute requirement for) · osx motan (to be obliged to) · id perlu, harus, wajib (to be obliged to) · tr gereksinmek (to have an absolute requirement for) · it necessitare (to be obliged to) · gl necesitar (to have an absolute requirement for) · izh hoolia (to have an absolute requirement for) · hi मुहताज होना (to have an absolute requirement for) · nl nodig zijn (to be required or necessary) · lad tener menester de (to have an absolute requirement for) · et pidama (to have an absolute requirement for) · izh tarvita (to have an absolute requirement for) · my လိုအပ် (to have an absolute requirement for) · bo དགོས (to have an absolute requirement for) · es ocupar (to have an absolute requirement for) · eo bezoni (to want strongly) · sh требати (to have an absolute requirement for) · eo devi (to be obliged to) · ga teastaigh ó (to want strongly) · de müssen (to be obliged to) · es hacer(le) falta (to have an absolute requirement for) · grc χρῄζω (to have an absolute requirement for) · ro avea nevoie de (to have an absolute requirement for) · ru тре́боваться (to have an absolute requirement for) · oc necessitar (to have an absolute requirement for) · he צריך (to have an absolute requirement for) · fa نیاز داشتن (to have an absolute requirement for) · eo devi (to be required or necessary) · cmn 必要 (to be obliged to) · es ser necesario que (to be obliged to) · tr gereksinim duymak (to have an absolute requirement for) · bo མཁོ (to have an absolute requirement for) · tr lazım olmak (to have an absolute requirement for) · cmn 必需 (to be obliged to) · sv nödgas (to be obliged to) · ro trebui (to have an absolute requirement for) · gcr bezwen (to have an absolute requirement for) · tl mangailangan (to have an absolute requirement for) · ar اِحْتَاجَ (to have an absolute requirement for) · ja 必要する (to have an absolute requirement for) · sv måste (to be obliged to) · eu behar (to have an absolute requirement for) · se fertet (to be obliged to) · got 𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌽 (to have an absolute requirement for) · tr gerekmek (to be obliged to) · io bezonar (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi tarvita (to want strongly) · sl rabiti (to want strongly) · ga is gá do (to want strongly) · izh tarvita (to want strongly) · izh pittää (to be obliged to) · la debeo (to be obliged to) · rm avair basegn da (to have an absolute requirement for) · hu kell (to have an absolute requirement for) · ms memerlukan (to want strongly) · se dárbbašit (to have an absolute requirement for) · cmn 需要 (to want strongly) · mk треба (to be obliged to) · izh tahtoa (to want strongly) · la egeō (to have an absolute requirement for) · cmn 需要 (to have an absolute requirement for) · is þurfa (to be obliged to) · fa احتیاج داشتن (to have an absolute requirement for) · ml വേണം (to want strongly) · ja 要る (to want strongly) · tr gereksinimi olmak (to have an absolute requirement for) · izh tahtoa (to have an absolute requirement for) · el χρειάζομαι (to have an absolute requirement for) · de brauchen (to want strongly) · tr -malı (to be obliged to) · ko 요하다 (to have an absolute requirement for) · tr ihtiyacı olmak (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi täytyä (to be obliged to) · fi tarvita (to be obliged to) · fr avoir besoin de (to want strongly) · fr nécessiter (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi pitää (to be obliged to) · pt precisar (to have an absolute requirement for) · da behøve (to have an absolute requirement for) · aii ܣܢܝܼܩܵܐ (to have an absolute requirement for) · kmr pê vên (to have an absolute requirement for) · tg эҳтиёҷ доштан (to have an absolute requirement for) · da behøve (to be obliged to) · fo mega (to be obliged to) · ia besoniar (to have an absolute requirement for) · hi ज़रूरत होना (to want strongly) · gl cumprir (to have an absolute requirement for) · th ต้องการ (to have an absolute requirement for) · osx thurvan (to have an absolute requirement for) · la desiderō (to have an absolute requirement for) · ca necessitar (to have an absolute requirement for) · gl requirir (to have an absolute requirement for) · bg трябва (to be obliged to) · da kræve (to have an absolute requirement for) · no trenge (to have an absolute requirement for) · fo tørva (to have an absolute requirement for) · km ចាំបាច់ (to be obliged to) · fa احتیاج داشتن (to want strongly) · es necesitar/precisar (de) (to want strongly) · ms perlu (to have an absolute requirement for) · la obligor (to be obliged to) · izh hoolia (to want strongly) · tr lazım olmak (to be obliged to) · izh hoolia (to be obliged to) · ar اِحْتَاجَ (to want strongly) · da behøve (to want strongly) · mfe bizin (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi vaatia (to have an absolute requirement for) · zdj ukaya na utadjifu wa (to want strongly) · my လို (to have an absolute requirement for) · gsw bruuche (to have an absolute requirement for) · fr être obligé de (to be obliged to) · vi cần (to want strongly) · ml വേണ്ടുക (to want strongly) · mr गरज असणे (to have an absolute requirement for) · sv behöva (to have an absolute requirement for) · eo bezoni (to have an absolute requirement for) · ga teastaigh ó (to have an absolute requirement for) · ko 필요하다 (to have an absolute requirement for) · ht bezwen (to have an absolute requirement for) · ja しなければいけない (to be obliged to) · bg тря́бва (to have an absolute requirement for) · tr -meli (to be obliged to) · be патрабава́ць (to have an absolute requirement for) · fa کسر داشتن (to have an absolute requirement for) · lt reikėti (to have an absolute requirement for) · chr ᎤᏂᎬᎦ (to have an absolute requirement for) · pt precisar (to be obliged to) · no trenge (to want strongly) · lo ຕ້ອງການ (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi tarvita (to have an absolute requirement for) · ca caldre (to be obliged to) · sw -hitaji (to have an absolute requirement for) · ja 義務がある (to be obliged to) · ko 필요하다 (to want strongly) · es necesitar/precisar (de) (to have an absolute requirement for) · ml ആവശ്യമാണ് (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi pitää (to be required or necessary) · tl kailanganin (to have an absolute requirement for) · tg ниёз доштан (to have an absolute requirement for) · bg необходимо е (to be required or necessary) · pt necessitar (to be obliged to) · nl behoeven (to have an absolute requirement for) · gld гэлэ- (to have an absolute requirement for) · ro trebui (to be obliged to) · pt necessitar (to have an absolute requirement for) · nl moeten hebben (to want strongly) · mk треба (to have an absolute requirement for) · es hacer(le) falta (to want strongly) · fa لازم داشتن (to have an absolute requirement for) · ang motan (to be obliged to) · ga is gá do (to have an absolute requirement for) · sq nevojit (to have an absolute requirement for) · ja ...が必要 (to have an absolute requirement for) · ko 요하다 (to want strongly) · cmn 要 (to want strongly) · grc δέω (to want strongly) · fo tørvast (to have an absolute requirement for) · ang þurfan (to have an absolute requirement for) · sl potrebovati (to have an absolute requirement for) · ckb پێ ویستن (to have an absolute requirement for) · nl nodig hebben (to have an absolute requirement for) · de benötigen (to have an absolute requirement for) · fr avoir besoin de (to have an absolute requirement for) · sk potrebovať (to have an absolute requirement for) · tr ihtiyaç duymak (to have an absolute requirement for) · nl benodigen (to have an absolute requirement for) · mi matea (to have an absolute requirement for) · bg нужда́я се (to have an absolute requirement for) · sa cāhanā • (cāhnā) • (modal) should, ought tomujhe jānā cāhiye. ― mujhe jānā cāhiye. ― I should go. (to be obliged to) · evn гэлэ- (to have an absolute requirement for) · fr nécessiter (to be obliged to) · tr zorunda olmak (to be obliged to) · fi olla pakko (to want strongly) · mk мора (to be obliged to) · mt għand bżonn (to have an absolute requirement for) · ca haver de (to be obliged to) · lv vajadzēt (to have an absolute requirement for) · is þurfa (to have an absolute requirement for) · bg желая (to want strongly) · za aeuyungh (to have an absolute requirement for) · se galgat (to be obliged to) · th จำเป็น (to be obliged to) · ru нужда́ться (to have an absolute requirement for) · vi cần (to have an absolute requirement for) · yi דאַרפֿן (to have an absolute requirement for) · km ត្រូវការ (to have an absolute requirement for) · pl potrzebować (to have an absolute requirement for) · vi muốn (to want strongly) · uk потребува́ти (to have an absolute requirement for) · fi täytyä (to be required or necessary)