must
verbnounnounverbnountop 1 000 in film dialogue
- //məst//
- //məs//
- //mʌst//
- //mʊst//
To do as a requirement; indicates that the sentence subject is required as an imperative or directive to execute the sentence predicate, with failure to do so resulting in a failure or negative consequence.
verb
- 1
To do as a requirement; indicates that the sentence subject is required as an imperative or directive to execute the sentence predicate, with failure to do so resulting in a failure or negative consequence.
You must arrive in class on time.
This door handle must be rotated fully.
Everybody told me I must stop worrying, but I couldn't, because I felt there must be something wrong.
You really must come and see us soon, pal. - We'll see: I can borrow my dad's car, but I must bring it back before midnight.
- 2
To do with certainty; indicates that the speaker is certain that the subject will have executed the predicate.
If it has rained all day, it must be very wet outside.
Where would you have put the keyring? You couldn’t have lost it again! - I must have, because it's nowhere to be found.
I said it must be pretty late and I really must go.
She's being taken to the police car now , so they must be going to arrest her.
- 3
Used to indicate that something is very likely, probable, or certain to be true.
The children must be asleep by now.
There's the doorbell. It must be Dad.
Etymology
From Middle English moste ("must", literally, "had to", the past tense of Middle English moten (“to have to”)), from Old English mōste (“had to”), 1st & 3rd person singular past tense of mōtan (“to be allowed, be able to, have the opportunity to, be compelled to, must, may”), from Proto-Germanic *mōtaną. Cognate with Dutch moest (“had to”), German musste (“had to”), Swedish måste (“must, have to, be obliged to”). More at mote.
noun
- 1
Something that is mandatory, required or recommended.
If you're trekking all day, a map is a must.
"There are no musts in my life - I'm free, white, and twenty-one."
noun
- 1
The property of being stale or musty.
- 2
Something that exhibits the property of being stale or musty.
- 3
Fruit juice that will ferment or has fermented, usually from grapes.
No sweet grape lies hidden here in the shade of its vine-leaves, No fermenting must fills and o'erflows the deep vats.
Etymology
From Middle English must, from Old English must and Old French must, most, both from Latin mustum.
verb
- 1
To make musty.
- 2
To become musty.
noun
- 1
Variant of musthAlternative spelling of musth.
No animal in the world is so dangerous as an elephant in must.
Etymology
See musth.
Forms
- plural
- musts
- past tense
- musted
- past participle
- musted
- present participle
- musting
- third person singular
- musts
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