must
1to be obliged or bound to by an imperative requirement: I must keep my word.
to be under the necessity to; need to: Animals must eat to live.
to be required or compelled to, as by the use or threat of force: You must obey the law.
to be compelled to in order to fulfill some need or achieve an aim: We must hurry if we're to arrive on time.
to be forced to, as by convention or the requirements of honesty: I must say, that is a lovely hat.
to be or feel urged to; ought to: I must buy that book.
to be reasonably expected to; is bound to: It must have stopped raining by now. She must be at least 60.
to be inevitably certain to; be compelled by nature: Everyone must die.
to be obliged; be compelled: Do I have to go? I must, I suppose.
Archaic. (sometimes used with ellipsis of go, get, or some similar verb readily understood from the context): We must away.
something necessary, vital, or required: This law is a must.
Origin of must
1synonym study For must
Other definitions for must (2 of 4)
new wine; the unfermented juice as pressed from the grape or other fruit.
Origin of must
2Other definitions for must (3 of 4)
mold; moldiness; mustiness: a castle harboring the must of centuries.
Origin of must
3Other definitions for must (4 of 4)
musk, especially a powder made from musk.
to powder (the hair).
Origin of must
4Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use must in a sentence
The bin Laden mission hit all the military musts: quick, well-executed, no casualties.
Hence very sweet musts furnish wines containing much undecomposed sugar.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines | Andrew UreHe told them about things to do in the ancient city, and listed places that were "musts" for tourists.
The Egyptian Cat Mystery | Harold Leland GoodwinElsewhere he says "there are no musts where faith is concerned."
The Conflict of Religions in the Early Roman Empire | T. R. GloverRachel's way was such a decided way, that people generally accepted her "musts" as a matter of course.
Told In The Hills | Marah Ellis Ryan
The only way is to dig along hard and do what's to be done as well as you can, whatever it is, and make the best of your 'musts.'
Not Quite Eighteen | Susan Coolidge
British Dictionary definitions for must (1 of 5)
/ (mʌst, unstressed məst, məs) /
used as an auxiliary to express obligation or compulsion: you must pay your dues . In this sense, must does not form a negative. If used with a negative infinitive it indicates obligatory prohibition
used as an auxiliary to indicate necessity: I must go to the bank tomorrow
used as an auxiliary to indicate the probable correctness of a statement: he must be there by now
used as an auxiliary to indicate inevitability: all good things must come to an end
(used as an auxiliary to express resolution)
on the part of the speaker when used with I or we: I must finish this
on the part of another or others as imputed to them by the speaker, when used with you, he, she, they, etc: let him get drunk if he must
(used emphatically) used as an auxiliary to express conviction or certainty on the part of the speaker: he must have reached the town by now, surely; you must be joking
(foll by away) used with an implied verb of motion to express compelling haste: I must away
an essential or necessary thing: strong shoes are a must for hill walking
Origin of must
1British Dictionary definitions for must (2 of 5)
/ (mʌst) /
mustiness or mould
Origin of must
2British Dictionary definitions for must (3 of 5)
/ (mʌst) /
the newly pressed juice of grapes or other fruit ready for fermentation
Origin of must
3British Dictionary definitions for must (4 of 5)
/ (mʌst) /
a variant spelling of musth
British Dictionary definitions for must- (5 of 5)
indicating that something is highly recommended or desirable: a must-see film; this season's must-haves
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with must
see a must; show must go on.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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