Needs
adv, name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 plural of need form-of, plural
- 1 third-person singular simple present indicative of need form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
- 1 Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably. archaic, not-comparable
"As touching corporal puniſhments and penance, as faſting, diſciplin, hare cloth and other chaſtiſements, it behoueth thee herein to vſe good diſcretiõ, taking ſuch as help to repreſſe the aſſaults and temptations of the fleſh, and leuing others that may be hurtful, not yeelding herein to the heats, which ſome nouices are vvont to haue in their beginning, who thorough indiſcrete mortifying, and dompting of their fleſhe, fal into ſome ſuche infirmitie, as aftervvardes they muſt needes pamper and cheriſhe it to much."
- 1 in such a manner as could not be otherwise wordnet
- 1 A surname.
Example
More examples"Schools are expected to meet the needs of every child, regardless of ability."
Etymology
From Middle English nedes (“of necessity, necessarily; inevitably, unavoidably”) [and other forms], from Old English nēdes, nīedes (“of necessity; not willingly”), from nīed + -es (suffix forming adverbs from nouns). The English word is equivalent to need + -'s (possessive marker) and hence to need + -s (suffix forming adverbs).
From need + -s.
Variant of Nead.
Related phrases
More for "needs"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.