MUST

must

(adjective) highly recommended; “a book that is must reading”

mustiness, must, moldiness

(noun) the quality of smelling or tasting old or stale or mouldy

must

(noun) grape juice before or during fermentation

must

(noun) a necessary or essential thing; “seat belts are an absolute must”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

---

Etymology 1

Verb

must (third-person singular simple present must, present participle -, simple past must, past participle -)

(modal auxiliary, defective) To do with certainty; indicates that the speaker is certain that the subject will have executed the predicate.

(modal auxiliary, defective) 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 negative consequence.

(modal auxiliary, defective) said about something that is very likely, probable, or certain to be true

Usage notes

• (auxiliary, to do with certainty): Compare with weaker auxiliary verb should, indicating a strong probability of the predicate’s execution.

• (auxiliary, to do as a requirement): Compare with weaker auxiliary verb should, indicating mere intent for the predicate’s execution; and stronger auxiliary verb will, indicating that the negative consequence will be unusually severe.

• The past tense of “must” is also “must”. In main clauses, this use of the past tense is almost always literary (see King James Bible, Leiber, and Alcott quotations below). In subordinate clauses, it is more common: He knew what he must do. Otherwise, the past sense is usually conveyed by had to. It is possible to use was bound to for the past also. For this reason, have to and be bound to are also used as alternatives to must in the present and future.

• The principal verb, if easily supplied, may be omitted. In modern usage this is mainly literary (see Housman and Tolkien quotations below).

• Must is unusual in its negation. Must not still expresses a definite certainty or requirement. Need, on the other hand, is negated in the usual manner. Compare

• The second-person singular (thou being the subject) no longer adds -est (as it did in Old English).

Noun

must (plural musts)

Something that is mandatory or required.

Synonyms

• imperative

Antonyms

• no-no

Etymology 2

Noun

must (plural musts)

The property of being stale or musty.

Something that exhibits the property of being stale or musty.

Fruit juice that will ferment or has fermented, usually from grapes.

Verb

must (third-person singular simple present musts, present participle musting, simple past and past participle musted)

(transitive) To make musty.

(intransitive) To become musty.

Etymology 3

Noun

must (plural musts)

A time during which male elephants exhibit increased levels of sexual activity and aggressiveness (also spelled musth).

An elephant in this sexual and aggressive state.

Anagrams

• MTUs, UMTS, smut, stum, tums

Source: Wiktionary

---

Must, v. i. or auxiliary. Etym: [OE. moste, a pret. generally meaning, could, was free to, pres. mot, moot, AS. moste, pret. mot, pres.; akin to D. moetan to be obliged, OS. motan to be free, to be obliged, OHG. muozan, G. müssen to be obliged, Sw. måste must, Goth. gamotan to have place, have room, to able; of unknown origin.]

1. To be obliged; to be necessitated; -- expressing either physical or moral necessity; as, a man must eat for nourishment; we must submit to the laws.

2. To be morally required; to be necessary or essential to a certain quality, character, end, or result; as, he must reconsider the matter; he must have been insane. Likewise must the deacons be grave. 1 Tim. iii. 8. Morover, he [a bishop] must have a good report of them which are without. 1 Tim. iii. 7.

Note: The principal verb, if easy supplied by the mind, was formerly often omitted when must was used; as, I must away. "I must to Coventry." Shak.

Must, n. Etym: [AS. must, fr. L. mustum (sc. vinum), from mustus young, new, fresh. Cf. Mustard.]

1. The expressed juice of the grape, or other fruit, before fermentation. "These men ben full of must." Wyclif (Acts ii. 13. ). No fermenting must fills ... the deep vats. Longfellow.

2. Etym: [Cf. Musty.]

Definition: Mustiness.

Must, v. t. & i.

Definition: To make musty; to become musty.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

---

Do you know this game?

Wordscapes is a popular word game consistently in the top charts of both Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The Android version has more than 10 million installs. This guide will help you get more coins in less than two minutes of playing the game. Continue reading Wordscapes: Get More Coins