• enPR: nēd, IPA: /niːd/, [nɪi̯d]

need (plural needs)

1. (countable and uncountable) A requirement for something; something needed.

   There's no need to speculate; we can easily find out for sure.

   She grew irritated with his constant need for attention.

   Our needs are not being met.

   I've always tried to have few needs beyond food, clothing and shelter.

   • 1595 December 9 (first known performance)​​, William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene i]:

     Being so great, I have no need to beg.

   • Be governed by your needs, not by your fancy.

2. Lack of means of subsistence; poverty; indigence; destitution.
   • RQ

• French: besoin, nécessité
• German: Notwendigkeit, Bedarf, Bedürfnis
• Italian: bisogno, necessità
• Portuguese: necessidade
• Russian: нужда́
• Spanish: necesidad, necesidades

• Portuguese: necessidade
• Spanish: necesidad

need (needs, present participle needing; past and past participle needed)

1. (transitive) To have an absolute requirement for.

   Living things need water to survive.

2. (transitive) To want strongly; to feel that one must have something.

   After ten days of hiking, I needed a shower and a shave.

3. (modal verb) To be obliged or required (to do something).

   You need not go if you don't want to.

4. (intransitive) To be required; to be necessary.
   • 1689 (indicated as 1690)​, [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Thomas Basset, […], OCLC 153628242 ↗, book I, page 21 ↗:

     When we have done it, we have done or duty, and all that is in our power, and indeed all that needs.

5. (obsolete, transitive) To be necessary (to someone).
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Qveene. […], London: Printed [by John Wolfe] for VVilliam Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938 ↗, book II, canto IX:

     More ample spirit, then hitherto was wount, / Here needes me {{...}

• (desire) desire, wish for, would like, want, will (archaic)
• (lack) be without, lack
• (require) be in need of, require

• French: avoir besoin de
• German: benötigen, brauchen
• Italian: aver bisogno di
• Portuguese: precisar, necessitar
• Russian: нужда́ться
• Spanish: necesitar

• French: avoir besoin de
• German: brauchen
• Portuguese: precisar

• French: être obligé de, nécessiter
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} essere obbligato#Italian|obbligato a attention it, necessitare
• Portuguese: precisar, necessitar
• Spanish: necesitar