must

must

must¹ [must]

v.aux.

pt.must [ME moste, pt., had to < OE, pt. of motan, may, akin to Goth (ga)mot, (I) find room, am permitted, prob. < IE * mōt-, var. of * med-, to measure > METE¹]

1. used to express compulsion, obligation, requirement, or necessity [I know I must pay her; I knew I must pay her]

2. used to express probability [then you must be my cousin; I thought he must be my cousin]

3. used to express certainty or inevitability [all men must die; they knew they must die]: As a modal auxiliary, must is followed by an infinitive without to

vi.

used elliptically in the same functions as MUST¹ (v.aux. ) [shoot if you must]

n.

Informal

something that must be done, had, read, seen, etc. [this book is a must]

adj.

Informal

that must be done, etc.; necessary; essential [must reading]

must² [must]

n.

[Hindi mast, intoxicated < Pers mast < IE base * mad-, to be moist > MEAT]

a state of frenzy in animals, esp. in the male elephant, usually associated with sexual heat

adj.

in must

must³ [must]

n.

[ME < OE < L mustum, new wine, neut. of mustus, new, fresh < IE base * meu-, moist > MOSS]

the juice pressed from grapes or other fruit before it has fermented; new wine

must⁴ [must]

n.

[back-form. < MUSTY]

a musty quality or state; mustiness