necessary1 adjectivenecessary2 noun
necessaryne‧ces‧sa‧ry1 /ˈnesəsəri $ -seri/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective 
WORD ORIGINnecessary
Origin:
1300-1400 Latin necessarius, from necesse ‘necessary’, from ne- ‘not’ + cedere ‘to give up’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Computers are as necessary as textbooks in schools.
- Fats in our diet are necessary for both heat and energy.
- He produced the necessary documents and handed them to her.
- If necessary, we will have to employ some outside people to finish the job.
- It will be necessary to close the pool while the repairs take place.
- The doctor says it may be necessary for me to have an operation.
- Add a second layer if necessary.
- But take another step back and it is no longer necessary to preserve the species.
- Jennie told Katharine to be aware of this and to correct any fault as necessary.
- Much doubling, therefore, is necessary in the tutti.
- On his eighteenth birthday, his parents had believed it necessary to commit the act that would decisively save their only child.
- She explained why change was necessary.
- They also make any necessary criticisms and suggestions more easily acceptable when they are offered.
- This was clearly necessary for their analysis since it allowed them to aggregate data over different drivers.
THESAURUS
used to describe something that you need to have or do: · Make sure you bring the necessary documents with you.· It may be necessary for you to have a small operation.
very important and necessary, especially in order to be healthy, successful etc: · Vitamins are essential for healthy growth.· The tourist industry is an essential part of the Spanish economy.
extremely important and necessary, especially in order to avoid serious problems: · A vital piece of equipment on the spacecraft had stopped operating.· It is vital that the aid is sent immediately.
if something is compulsory, you must do it because of a rule or law: · Maths and Science are compulsory subjects.· All new staff undergo a compulsory training course.
if something is obligatory, you must do it because of a rule or law. Obligatory is more formal than compulsory: · The use of seatbelts is obligatory.· Safety regulations have made it obligatory for all competitors to wear fist protectors.
if something is mandatory, you must do it because it is the law. Mandatory is more formal than compulsory and sounds stronger: · School attendance is mandatory.· a prisoner serving a mandatory life sentence
formal [usually before noun] the requisite things are the ones that you need to have in order to do something: · The other candidates lacked the requisite skills.· the requisite evidence needed for a successful prosecution
Longman Language Activatorto need something if you need something, you must have it, because you cannot live, succeed, or do something without it: · It's cold outside -- you'll need a coat.· I think she might need a doctor.· Do you need some help?need something for something: · He needs the information for an article he's writing.need to do something (=when it is necessary for someone to do something): · We need to take the cat to the vet.need somebody to do something: · Do you still need volunteers to help clean up after the party?badly need something (=need something very much): · The team badly needs a victory.
to need to be cleaned, repaired, or given attention in some way: need cleaning/washing/mending etc: · My hair needs washing.· Don't forget, the plants need watering once a week.need a wash/clean etc: · You don't have to paint UPVC windows, and they need only an occasional wash down with detergent.
formal to need something: · Guests who require special diets should inform the catering manager in advance.· Is there anything further you require, sir?
spoken informal say that you could do with something or could use something when you feel that you need it and that it would improve things for you: · "Let's stop for a minute." "Sure, I could do with a rest."· I could use a hand with this if you have a minute.· Boy, I sure could use a drink.
if someone is in need of help, advice, money etc, they need it because they are in a difficult situation: · Several people were in need of medical treatment.badly in need of something: · The country is badly in need of foreign investment.
if there is a need for something, it is needed by a group of people because it is useful or necessary in order to make a situation better: · There's always a need for blood donors.· There's no need for you to know my full name. Reggie will do.there is an urgent need for something: · There is an urgent need for a review of current immigration law.there is a growing need for something: · There's a growing need for computer programmers and IT people in many parts of Latin America.
to need someone or something very much to urgently need something and want it very much: · Wendell was desperate for a girlfriend, yet crippled by his fear of rejection.· A cordon of police struggled to keep back onlookers and relatives desperate for news.
if a group of people are crying out for something such as help, food, or medicine, they need it very urgently because they are facing great difficulties without it: · The country is crying out for strong leadership.· As we all know, Birmingham has been crying out for a venue for local bands for several years.
to be unable to do the things that you have to do without someone who usually helps you or without something that you usually use: · I absolutely can't do without my mobile phone.· Patrick is an excellent assistant - I couldn't do without him.
if you depend on or rely on someone or something, you need them because they provide you with something that you need: depend/rely on somebody/something: · He was growing to depend on her, he knew that.· Not surprisingly, businesses that rely on government contracts are being hit badly by the spending cuts.depend/rely on somebody to do something: · Elvin depended on her to dress him, feed him and do many other tasks.· Many plants rely on birds to distribute their seeds.depend/rely on somebody for something: · Having to depend on her father for financial support was just not worth it, Sylvia decided.depend/rely heavily on/upon (=depend/rely a lot on): · State and local governments rely heavily on sales and property taxes.
if you are dependent on or are reliant on someone or something, you need them so much that you cannot exist or continue successfully without them, because they provide you with all the most important things you need: · In those days, he was very dependent on Connie and wouldn't do anything without first consulting her.be dependent/reliant on somebody/something for something: · Many old people are dependent on government benefits for their basic survival.be heavily dependent/reliant on (=be very reliant on): · Small companies are heavily reliant on the goodwill of the banks in order to keep going.
necessary if something is necessary , you need to have it or do it: · He produced the necessary documents and handed them to her.necessary for: · Fats in our diet are necessary for both heat and energy.if necessary (=if it is necessary): · If necessary, we will have to employ some outside people to finish the job.it is necessary (for somebody) to do something formal: · It will be necessary to close the pool while the repairs take place.· The doctor says it may be necessary for me to have an operation.
if something is essential , you need it because you cannot be successful, healthy, safe etc without it: · If you're going hiking in the mountains, a decent pair of boots is essential.· The tourist industry is now acknowledged as an essential part of the Spanish economy.essential for: · Calcium is essential for the development of healthy teeth and bones.it is essential to do something: · It is essential to read any document carefully before you sign it.it is essential that: · It is essential that the oil is checked every 10,000 km.
if something is vital , it is extremely important and you will have serious problems if you do not have it or do it: · In this job, the ability to remain calm is vital.· The European Space Agency said that a vital piece of equipment on the craft had stopped functioning.vital for: · Regular exercise is vital for your health.it is vital that: · It is vital that you keep accurate tax records.
someone or something that is indispensable is extremely useful and it is almost impossible to do something without them: · If you're planning on going sightseeing around the old city, a guide is indispensable.indispensable to: · The book will be indispensable to anyone who wishes to learn more about the British Royal Family.
if something is a necessity , you must have it for your job or for your life, and it is not something that you only have for pleasure: · For most people, a good guidebook is a necessity when travelling.· If you live in a place like London, a car alarm is an absolute necessity.
informal if you say that something such as a book, film, or type of clothes is a must , you mean that people must read, see, or wear it, because it is very fashionable, enjoyable, interesting etc - used especially in advertisements and magazines: · If you're interested in the early history of aviation, this book is a must.be a must for somebody: · Ankle boots are a must for anyone who wants to keep up with the latest fashions this autumn.
also requisite formal necessary for a particular purpose, especially according to a law or rule: · They failed to submit their plans in the required time limit.· If the proposed piece of legislation fails to get the requisite two-thirds majority in Parliament, it cannot become law.required for: · In my opinion, she does not have the qualifications required for the job.· Research and writing have become requisite for career advancement in academia.
make it necessary to do something: make it necessary to do something · The heavy rain made it necessary to close several roads.· By 1870, larger ships and cargoes made it necessary to create a new port at Avonmouth.make it necessary for somebody to do something · Recent violence has made it necessary for security forces to take drastic measures.
formal to make it necessary for you to do something, especially something that is difficult or that you would prefer not to do: · Sales have dropped dramatically, necessitating cuts in production and employment.necessitate doing something: · The proposed festival would necessitate closing University Avenue between 14th and 24th Streets Northwest.
something that is needed if there is a need for something, that thing is needed: need for: · Carlton acknowledged that there was a need for stricter safety regulations at some of the sites.need to do something: · The need to improve teaching standards is recognized; however, it is not something that is going to happen overnight.feel the need to do something (=feel that you need to do something): · Don't you ever feel the need to take a vacation?
something that you must have for your job or for your life, not something that you only have for pleasure: · I would say that TV has become more a necessity than a luxury, wouldn't you?the bare necessities (=the most important and necessary things such as clothes and food): · For several years, the family was forced to make do with just the bare necessities.
the amount or level of something that it is necessary to have, especially one that has been officially decided or is officially advised: · The average daily food requirement for an adult is between 2000 and 3000 calories.come up to/meet/satisfy a requirement (=reach the necessary level or amount): · For the second year in a row, the city's water supply has failed to meet minimum purity requirements.
when a job or activity needs a particular quality British if a job or activity needs a particular quality, you must have that quality in order to do it well: · Teaching children to read needs a lot of patience and skill.· It must have needed a great deal of self-discipline for you to lose so much weight in such a short time.· What are the qualities that are needed for the job?
if a job or activity takes a particular quality, or a lot of time, money, effort etc, you must have that quality or spend a lot of time etc in order to do it: · Don't get discouraged. Learning a new language takes a lot of effort.it takes something to do something: · It took us about five months to sell our house.· It takes strength and stamina to be a long-distance runner.
formal if a job or activity requires a particular quality, you have to have that quality in order to do it well: · A lot of patience is required to look after a disabled child.· As any couple will tell you, marriage requires commitment and sacrifice from both partners.
if doing something difficult calls for a particular quality or a particular type of behaviour, you must have that quality or behave in that way in order to succeed in doing it: · The Times crossword calls for a certain amount of literary knowledge.· Launching a new product is a highly complicated business, and careful planning is called for.
to provide something that is needed or wanted if someone or something meets or satisfies a need , they give people what they need or want: · Public transportation here has failed to meet the community's needs.meet/satisfy a need of: · It's extremely difficult for one teacher to meet the needs of 16 students in a class when each is working at a different level.satisfy a basic human need: · Belief in God or a supreme being seems to satisfy some basic human need.
also fulfil requirements British, /fulfill requirements American if someone or something meets or fulfils the requirements that have been set for them, they reach the standards that are necessary, especially standards that have been officially decided: · Beginning in April, street vendors will be required to meet a tough new set of requirements.meet requirements for: · The group has been notified by school officials that it no longer meets the requirements for a voluntary student organization.
to provide enough quantities of a product so that everyone who wants one can have one: · Record stores are finding it difficult to meet the demand for the group's latest CD, Greasy Pole. meet demand for: · Ford announced that it has increased production to meet demand for its new range of sports utility vehicle.
if something fills a need , for example a new product or service, it gives people something that they have wanted but which they have not been able to have until now: fill a need for: · The restaurant fills a need for good healthful food and for a good place to meet.· This handsome book fills a need for a clear children's guide to the African-American tradition of Kwanzaa.
when you do not need something to not need something or someone: · Do you want these text books? I don't need them any more.· Listen, people with disabilities do not need or want your pity.· According to Mahoney, the company did not need the cash, but was selling the division in an effort to streamline its operations.
use this about something which you do not need now, but which is available so that you can use it later or let someone else use it: · We have two spare tickets for the game - do you want to come?· Some couples will start married life in a spare room at the home of one set of parents -- usually the bride's.spare change: · It seemed like every time I turned around, some bum was hitting me up for spare change.
also can manage without to not need someone or something, because you can live normally or do what you need to do without them: · We should be able to manage without you for a few days.· "I can do without alcohol, but I can't do without the cigs," O'Hare wheezed.
to not need someone or something because you no longer use them or cannot think of a way of using them: · The fish spend their lives in darkness, and, having no use for eyes, are totally blind.· If society has no use for old people, is it any wonder that older people feel that their lives are without meaning?
formal to not need something: · Japan has its own space program and has no need of American technology.
formal to not need to use or do something that you usually use or do, because it is no longer necessary: · The company decided that it could dispense with the middle management level altogether.dispense with the formalities (=to not use formal or very polite behaviour, such as introducing people to each other): · We all know each other here, so I think we can dispense with the formalities.
not necessary if something is unnecessary or not necessary , you do not need to have it or do it: · Don't fill your report with unnecessary information.· A lot of the expenses that he's claiming seem totally unnecessary.it is unnecessary/not necessary to do something: · It's not necessary to spend a lot of money on clothes to look good.
British not necessary at all - use this when you are surprised that someone thinks something is necessary: · They asked to see my passport, my driver's license, and my bank card, which was hardly necessary.· At first glance, it seems hardly necessary to make another film about Van Gogh.
use this to describe bad things that are unnecessary because they could easily have been prevented or avoided: · "I am very saddened by this needless loss of life," the President said at a news conference Tuesday.· He accused the local council of allowing a needless tragedy, through a policy of not fitting smoke detectors to council houses.
done for no reason, and seeming shocking or offensive: gratuitous violence/insults/cruelty etc: · The network refused to televise the film because it contained too much gratuitous violence.· It was a completely gratuitous insult -- I hadn't said anything to offend her.
when you do not have to do something if you do not have to do something, you can do it if you want, but you are not forced to do it, either by a rule or by another person, or by the situation you are in: · Paola was fortunate in that she came from a wealthy family and didn't have to work.· You don't have to go if you don't want to.
spoken say this to tell someone that it is not necessary for them to do something: · There's no need to do the dishes - I'll do them in the morning.there's no need for somebody to do something: · There's no need for you to bring any food - it's all being provided.
if something is unnecessary or not necessary , it is not needed or there is no good reason for you to do it: · They want to build another shopping mall here, but we think it's completely unnecessary.it is unnecessary/not necessary to do something: · It's not necessary to wash your hair every day.
to not have to do something, because it is not necessary: · You don't need to tell Sandy - she already knows.· You needn't come with me - I can find my own way to the station.· Marian was one of those lucky students who didn't need to work hard to do well.
to not have to do something if you do not want to, especially in a situation where you might feel that you have to because other people will be upset or disappointed if you do not: · The firm is under no obligation to offer you a job.not be under any obligation to do something: · You are not under any obligation to buy anything.
if something is optional , you do not have to do it or use it but you can if you want to: · You don't have to do French - it's optional.· The holiday price includes entertainment in the evenings, and there are optional excursions on offer every day.optional for: · General Studies is optional for sixth-form students.
a voluntary activity is one that you do because you want to do it, especially because you believe it is useful or will help other people, and not because you have to: · The council is trying to get more young people involved in doing voluntary work.· We get all our money from voluntary contributions.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
The police are advising motorists to travel only if their journey is absolutely necessary. Falling profits made it necessary to restructure the business.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I did not consider it necessary to report the incident. I consider it a great honour to be invited. They were told to take whatever action they deemed necessary. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if necessary.
The police are advising motorists to travel only if their journey is absolutely necessary. Falling profits made it necessary to restructure the business. I did not consider it necessary to report the incident. I consider it a great honour to be invited. They were told to take whatever action they deemed necessary.· A compass is essential equipment when hiking.
(=something that is bad but necessary)· Most businesses see government regulation as a necessary evil.
Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if necessary.· This leaflet should provide you with all the necessary information.
· The army will take all necessary measures to protect the public.
(=the least amount that you must have)· He received 35 votes, two more than the required minimum.
· He justified his secrecy as a necessary precaution.
· The Council has agreed to carry out essential repairs to the fencing.
· We must be sure that we are taking the necessary steps to prevent the problem from getting a foothold here.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· It is absolutely necessary to allow sponsors into the game.· This is not absolutely necessary but it would stretch your imagination and further clarify the entire research process from beginning to end.· But he is not an absolutely necessary member of your cast of characters.· On the other hand, honesty is an absolutely necessary policy as a matter of principle and also credibility.· He wouldn't keep her here any longer than was absolutely necessary, would he?· All the components of the Pythagorean model interlock, each absolutely necessary to the proper operation of the whole.· For one who has a strenuous life it is necessary, absolutely necessary in order to keep sane and well.· My handwriting is so bad now that a computer is absolutely necessary for me.
· But it is also necessary to know music-making from the orchestra's point of view.· Free trade among manufacturers, suppliers, towns, and cities is also necessary.· It is also necessary for the plaintiff to prove causation.· A certain minimum material infrastructure Is also necessary.· When dealing with leasehold property, it is also necessary to deal with the apportionments of any service charge liability.· It is also necessary to make the vital decision how the structure should be manned.· Similarly large investments are also necessary in electricity generation.· It was also necessary to provide complementary training for the professional members of the social service teams.
· Once the fire is lit, it has to be kept going and refuelled as necessary.· Fire would have been as necessary to the one as to the other.· A teacher who has visually handicapped pupils in the class will need to consider these recommendations and implement them as necessary.· Replenish coals and chips as necessary.· Legal representation was not viewed as necessary, but rules prohibiting legal representation were considered undesirable.· Make sure patties are just barely covered and add water as necessary to replace sauce that has cooked down.· With small arrangements, make sure you check the water level frequently and top up as necessary.· Therefore, a balance between assimilation and accommodation is as necessary as the processes themselves.
· You may well ask if such precision is really necessary!· But no coaching is really necessary in such matters.· Photographs Are these really necessary and do all the sections of the list need to have them?· The first step is to determine whether buttering up is really necessary.· Are status and status symbols really necessary?· Is it really necessary that we learn everything by trial by fire?· Is the placement outside the birth family really necessary?· Is it really necessary for me to get under the bed and shine a light like this?
· They must make physical, musical and, when necessary, dramatic sense.· Proponents argue that when necessary, Congress would waive the provision of this amendment with a three-fifths vote.· They had always had the potential to control their fertility and did so when necessary.· In this way the record can be found when necessary without movement of the access heads.· One has to match the two and use active and passive immunisation when necessary.· Peasants were also able to cushion the impact of indirect taxes by falling back on barter and home products when necessary.· It helps them to find their centre of balance when working close together and also to counter-balance their weight when necessary.· Then if we begin to make car payments to ourselves, we can replace that car when necessary.
· To participate and where necessary assist in the training activities of the Department.· In others, the general hospital psychiatric service will be able to provide aftercare, including where necessary, family therapy.· For the deaf, welfare officers had to provide a communication and translation service where necessary.· We try to give constructive and detailed responses to the proposals and engage the assistance of specialists in the field where necessary.· The method of assessment will rest on observing the trainee's performance at work with questions supplementing underpinning knowledge where necessary.· Revise your roles in marriage where necessary or helpful.· The principal methods of investigation are the collection and analysis of secondary data, complemented by personal interviews, where necessary.
NOUN· While this is an optimistic view the necessary conditions of teaching and length of time are not often available.· This is quite true, given the existence of some very important necessary conditions.· Massive investment in research and new technology is, therefore, a necessary condition of achieving sustainable development.· Consensus has to be a necessary condition of partnership.· Enlightened self-interest is, for those of us who are not saints, the necessary condition of social behaviour.· However, these are not attributes of an individual as such, which for fairness might be viewed as a necessary condition.· A strong local business base is a necessary condition for the economic future of Glasgow.· A large number of organisms and lowered resistance are two of the necessary conditions for infection to become established.
· They viewed such methods as a necessary evil, unavoidable yet somehow beneath their dignity.· However, the authors, like most others then and now, saw those shortcomings as a necessary evil in maintaining control.· Mr Waldegrave's shambolic performance in the press conference was a necessary evil.· Lawyers are a necessary evil that I try to use as little as possible due to their cost.· They're a necessary evil, like the woman who sawed off all my lovely hair.· It may be a necessary evil, but it is surely an evil.· Most farmers accept the cull as heartbreaking, but a necessary evil.· We do not look at government as a necessary evil.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
- In neither ease was the omission a necessary consequence of the intellectual stance of the two schools.
- It is further easy to see that there is no necessary connection between subsidy-free prices and Ramsey-optional prices.
- Men. come and go in their lives, but there is no necessary connection between motherhood and marriage.
- Neither is upward mobility, rising income or independence a necessary consequence of their diligence.
- Normative positivism asserts what legal positivists deny, namely that there is a necessary connection between law and positive morality.
- That stratification would occur as a necessary consequence of the alienation of labour.
- The difficulty is finding any necessary connection between two cases.
- These are, however, necessary consequences of the division of labour and the consequent role of trust in social relationships.
- I, for one, consider yard work to be a necessary evil.
- Bureaucracy was also a necessary evil to cope with the ravages of war.
- However, the authors, like most others then and now, saw those shortcomings as a necessary evil in maintaining control.
- It may be a necessary evil, but it is surely an evil.
- Lawyers are a necessary evil that I try to use as little as possible due to their cost.
- Mr Waldegrave's shambolic performance in the press conference was a necessary evil.
- They're a necessary evil, like the woman who sawed off all my lovely hair.
- They viewed such methods as a necessary evil, unavoidable yet somehow beneath their dignity.
- We do not look at government as a necessary evil.
WORD FAMILYnounnecessitythe necessariesthe necessaryadjectivenecessary ≠ unnecessaryverbnecessitateadverbnecessarily ≠ unnecessarily
1something that is necessary is what you need to have or need to do: The booklet provides all the necessary information about the college. No further changes were considered necessary.absolutely/really necessary The police are advising motorists to travel only if their journey is absolutely necessary.it is necessary (for somebody) to do something It’s not necessary to wear a tie. The doctor says it may be necessary for me to have an operation.make it necessary (for somebody) to do something Falling profits made it necessary to restructure the business.necessary for (doing) something A good diet is necessary for maintaining a healthy body.if/when/where necessary I’ll stay up all night, if necessary, to get it finished.RegisterIn everyday English, instead of saying it is necessary for somebody to do something, people usually say that someone has to do something: The doctor says it might be necessary for me to have an operation. ➔ The doctor says I might have to have an operation.2necessary connection/consequence etc a connection, result etc that must exist and cannot be avoided: The closure of the factory was a necessary consequence of increased competition from abroad.3a necessary evil something bad or unpleasant that you have to accept in order to achieve what you want: Mr Hurst regarded work as a necessary evil.THESAURUSnecessary used to describe something that you need to have or do: · Make sure you bring the necessary documents with you.· It may be necessary for you to have a small operation.essential very important and necessary, especially in order to be healthy, successful etc: · Vitamins are essential for healthy growth.· The tourist industry is an essential part of the Spanish economy.vital extremely important and necessary, especially in order to avoid serious problems: · A vital piece of equipment on the spacecraft had stopped operating.· It is vital that the aid is sent immediately.compulsory if something is compulsory, you must do it because of a rule or law: · Maths and Science are compulsory subjects.· All new staff undergo a compulsory training course.obligatory if something is obligatory, you must do it because of a rule or law. Obligatory is more formal than compulsory: · The use of seatbelts is obligatory.· Safety regulations have made it obligatory for all competitors to wear fist protectors.mandatory if something is mandatory, you must do it because it is the law. Mandatory is more formal than compulsory and sounds stronger: · School attendance is mandatory.· a prisoner serving a mandatory life sentencerequisite /ˈrekwəzət/ formal [usually before noun] the requisite things are the ones that you need to have in order to do something: · The other candidates lacked the requisite skills.· the requisite evidence needed for a successful prosecutionnecessary1 adjectivenecessary2 noun
necessarynecessary2 noun COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I did not consider it necessary to report the incident. I consider it a great honour to be invited. They were told to take whatever action they deemed necessary. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if necessary.
I did not consider it necessary to report the incident. I consider it a great honour to be invited. They were told to take whatever action they deemed necessary.· A compass is essential equipment when hiking.
(=something that is bad but necessary)· Most businesses see government regulation as a necessary evil.
Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if necessary.· This leaflet should provide you with all the necessary information.
· The army will take all necessary measures to protect the public.
(=the least amount that you must have)· He received 35 votes, two more than the required minimum.
· He justified his secrecy as a necessary precaution.
· The Council has agreed to carry out essential repairs to the fencing.
· We must be sure that we are taking the necessary steps to prevent the problem from getting a foothold here.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► necessaries
1 necessaries [plural] things such as food or basic clothes that you need in order to live2do the necessary British English spoken to do what is necessary: - And many men are too afraid to let themselves feel enough need for a response to do the necessary wooing.
- If we didn't have butchers to do the necessary, we'd be vegetarians out of sheer ineptitude.
- Only a Legal Service Commission with executive powers could do the necessary research and co-ordination job.
Leave it to me – I’ll do the necessary.