needs
needs — noun
1. the things a person or group must have in order to live well or do something suc
the things a person or group must have in order to live well or do something successfully.
The school asked parents about their children's basic needs.
basic needs = essential things for daily life
The new shelter meets the needs of older residents.
meet the needs of + person/group
The therapist listened carefully to Hana's emotional needs.
A small business has different needs from a large hospital.
- requirements
often used for practical conditions or rules
- essentials
stresses the most necessary things
- necessities
slightly more formal and often about basic living needs
- luxuries
things that are pleasant but not necessary
文法句型
someone's needs
meet someone's needs
basic/special/emotional needs
用法筆記
Usually appears in the plural when talking about several things that are necessary. It often follows a possessive or words such as 'basic', 'special', and 'emotional'.
常見錯誤
needs — adverb
1. used with 'must' to show that something has to happen and cannot be avoided.
used with 'must' to show that something has to happen and cannot be avoided.
If the bridge is closed, we must needs cross by boat.
must needs + bare verb
With no bus home, Asha must needs walk through the rain.
When the oven broke, dinner must needs be cooked outside.
Since the file was lost, the team must needs start again.
- necessarily
modern and neutral, without the old-fashioned tone
- inevitably
stresses that the result cannot be prevented
文法句型
must needs + bare verb
must needs be + past participle
用法筆記
This adverb is now mostly seen in older or literary English and nearly always appears with 'must'. In modern everyday English, speakers usually say 'have to' or simply use 'must' without 'needs'.
常見錯誤
2. used to say that an unpleasant or unwanted action has to be accepted because the
used to say that an unpleasant or unwanted action has to be accepted because there is no better option.
Needs must, so Lena sold her guitar to pay the rent.
fixed phrase: Needs must
Needs must, and the tired nurses worked another night shift.
Needs must; the children shared one bed until payday.
Needs must, and Ravi took the late bus home again.
- have no choice
modern and much more common in everyday English
- be forced to
emphasises outside pressure more directly
- optionally
suggests the action is a free choice instead of a necessity
文法句型
Needs must, + clause
because, needs must, + clause
用法筆記
Usually appears as the fixed phrase 'needs must' before a clause explaining the action someone cannot avoid. It often suggests reluctant acceptance rather than simple logical certainty.