necessitous

American  

[nuh-ses-i-tuhs] / nəˈsɛs ɪ təs /

adjective

1. destitute or impoverished; needy; indigent.

   to aid a necessitous young mother.

2. being essential or unavoidable.

   a necessitous discharge of responsibilities.

3. requiring immediate attention or action; urgent.

   the necessitous demands of the oil shortage.

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necessitous British  

/ nɪˈsɛsɪtəs /

adjective

1. very needy; destitute; poverty-stricken

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Other Word Forms

• necessitously
  adverb
• necessitousness
  noun
• nonnecessitous
  adjective
• nonnecessitously
  adverb
• nonnecessitousness
  noun
• unnecessitous
  adjective
• unnecessitously
  adverb
• unnecessitousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of necessitous

First recorded in 1605–15; necessit(y) + -ous

Example Sentences

Alas! all is not well; Else, why stand I, a man, the friend of man, At midnight's depth, deck'd in this murderous guise, The habiliment of death, the badge of dire, Necessitous coercion.

From André by Moses, Montrose Jonas

Fool! for their sakes the feet of Hector's steeds Fly into battle, and myself excel, For their sakes, all our bravest of the spear, That I may turn from them that evil hour1020 Necessitous.

From The Iliad of Homer Translated into English Blank Verse by William Cowper by Cowper, William

Necessitous female gets some fraction of coin, but along with it bullying rebuke in very liberal measure; and goes away weeping bitterly, and murmuring about "want that drove me to those courses."

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 02 by Carlyle, Thomas