mustn.1
/mʌst/, U.S. /məst/ 1. † b. in (the) must: (of wine) still undergoing fermentation. Similarly on the must. Also figurative. Obsolete.† c. In extended use. Obsolete.
a. Winemaking. The juice of freshly pressed grapes before or during fermentation into wine; a thick, pulpy mixture of crushed grapes prepared for or undergoing fermentation. In early use also: †new wine (more fully new must) (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > wine-making > [noun] > must
mustOE
stum1679
dulce1849
mosto1875
OE Ælfric Gloss. (St. John's Oxf.) 315 Mustum, must.
lOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Bodl.) v. 12 Ne meaht þu win wringan on mide winter, þeah ðe wel lyste wearmes mustes.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) 8723 Nes þer neouþer win ne must [v.r. most].
a1325 (c1280) Southern Passion (Pepys 2344) (1927) 2480 (MED) Þeos men beoþ dronke of mostȝ; hi ne conne hare tonges holde.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 18968 (MED) Drunken..o must ar þai.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xviii. 368 May no drynke me moiste..Tyl þe vendage falle in the vale of iosephath, Þat I drynke riȝte ripe must [c1400 C text most], resureccio mortuorum.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Myrrour of Worlde ii. x. 89 The clustres of grapes ben so grete and so full of Muste that [etc.].
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke v. f. 73 Will put newe muste into old bottelles.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. 150 As touching Musts or new wines.
1634 R. H. tr. Regim. Salerni 73 Inconveniences that breed by drinking of new Wine or Musts.
1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd iv. 16 Or as a swarm of flies in vintage time, About the wine-press where sweet moust is powr'd, Beat off, returns as oft with humming sound. View more context for this quotation
1677 W. Harris tr. N. Lémery Course Chym. ii. ix. 246 Wine is nothing else but the Muste, or Juyce of ripe Grapes, whose Spirituous parts are disingaged, and set at liberty in the Fermentation.
1775 R. Chandler Trav. Asia Minor lii. 171 We stopped at Mersenet..which afforded us a dish of boiled wheat, and some must of wine.
1813 H. Davy Elements Agric. Chem. iii. 115 When this juice [of the grape], or must, as it is commonly called, is exposed to the temperature of about 70°, the fermentation begins.
1874 J. A. Symonds Sketches Italy & Greece (1898) I. xi. 210 Men..are treading the red must into vats and tuns.
1888 Pall Mall Gaz. 23 Jan. Musts which twenty years ago readily sold for from 80 to 90 pesetas per hectolitre now sell for 13 or 14 pesetas.
1915 Literary Digest 4 Sept. 469/1 The mass of partly crusht grapes, known as ‘must’, goes into large kettles.
1955 H. J. Grossman Guide to Wines, Spirits & Beers (rev. ed.) ix. 112 Vino de color is made by boiling the must before fermentation begins.
1997 Wine Mar. 49/1 Chaptalisation is the practice of adding sugar to the must before fermentation to increase alcohol content.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > wine-making > [adverb] > still fermenting
in (the) must1533
on the musta1661
the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > unpreparedness > unprepared [phrase] > in an immature state
in the blade1584
in the shell1609
in the rougha1649
on the musta1661
1533 T. Elyot Castel of Helthe i. 13 b Wyne in muste or sowre.
1594 H. Plat Diuers Chimicall Concl. Distillation 16 in Jewell House Rhenish wine in the muste.
a1640 P. Massinger & J. Fletcher Very Woman iii. v. 59 in P. Massinger 3 New Playes (1655) 'Tis wine; I sure 'tis wine! excellent strong wine! I'th' must I take it.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) i. 8 Which hath made his Holynesse the more cautious, to canonize none whilest their memories are on the Must, immediately after their Deaths.
a1700 J. Dryden tr. Ovid Baucis & Philemon 111 The Wine..Still working in the Must, and lately press'd.
ΚΠ
1563 J. Man tr. W. Musculus Common Places Christian Relig. 153 Els the Jewes might haue with good reason preferred the old wine of Moses lawe, aboue the new must of the doctrine of Christ.
1656 T. Blount Glossographia Must,..any thing fresh or new.
1851 J. M. Neale Mediæval Hymns 85 From the Cross's pole of glory Flows the must of ancient story In the Church's wine vat stored.
1865 A. C. Swinburne Rococo 40 The blood red must of pain.
2. † a. Any juice or liquid undergoing or prepared for alcoholic fermentation; the juice of any fruit. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > [noun] > fermentation > must
musta1382
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) Song of Sol. viii. 2 I shal ȝyuen to þee drinken of spiced wyn & of þe must [L. mustum] of my poungarnetis.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 245v A Busshe hatte Rubus..and þe fruyte þer of is furst rede... The muste [L. succus] þerof is reed and deynteth and dyeth as blood.
1708 J. Philips Cyder i. 5 The Must, of pallid Hue, declares the Soil Devoid of Spirit.
b. English regional (western). The pulp of apples or pears which remains after the juice has been pressed out for making cider or perry. Also (rare): potato pulp prepared for fermentation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > cider-making > [noun] > apple pulp
pomace1572
apple pomace1664
cider-pressings1664
must1670
cider-marc1676
pug1676
pouse1704
pressing1707
apple cheese1708
pommagec1769
pummy1843
1670 D. Collwall in J. Evelyn Pomona 63 in Sylva (ed. 2) To preserve the Must (which is the bruised Fruit) from straining through the Crib when they apply the Skrews.
1794 J. Clark Gen. View Agric. Hereford 40 Drawing the stone on its edge..over the fruit in the trough, until it is reduced into a kind of paste, provincially must.
1890 Cent. Dict. Must, the pulp of potatoes prepared for fermentation.
1897 Evesham Jrnl. 16 Jan. in Eng. Dial. Dict. (1903) IV. 212/1 There can be no doubt about the must being highly acceptable in a winter of food scarcity [for cattle].
1979 M. B. Quinion Drink for its Time 7 After the last fruit has been added, a few more turns will reduce it to the right consistency, with no piece bigger than a pea. At this stage the crushed pulp (the ‘must’) looks rather less than inviting.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular types of fruit > [noun] > apple > cider apples
ruddock1600
redding1611
stocking-apple1629
Harvey1640
genet-moyle1655
moil1657
winter queening1657
must1662
redstreak1662
redstreak apple1664
eleot1676
peeling1676
Sodom apple1676
stire1699
woodcock1700
underleaf1707
coccagee1727
white sour1727
sheepnose1817
Tom Putt1831
cider-apple1875
Slack-ma-girdle1885
sheep's nose1936
1662 G. Smith in T. Birch Hist. Royal Soc. (1756) I. 132 The best fruit..are the red-streak, the white and red must apples,..and the Harvey apple.
1664 J. Beale in J. Evelyn Pomona in Sylva 26 We should prefer a peculiar Cider-fruit, which in Herefordshire are generally called Musts; (both the Apple and the Liquor, and the Pulpe together in the contusion) as from the Latine Mustum.
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry (1721) II. 327 The best sorts [of apples] for Cyder are found to be the Redstreak, the White Must, the Green Must [etc.].
1764 Museum Rusticum 2 x. 37 These [cyder apples] go under various names, as the red-streak, the white and green musts, [etc.].
1824 J. C. Loudon Encycl. Gardening (ed. 2) 696 [Kitchen Apples] New red must... Old red must.
Compounds
C1. † musthouse n. Obsolete
ΚΠ
1335 Close Roll, 9 Edward III (P.R.O.: C 54/156) m. 29v Vna domus que vocatur le Musthous.
1414–15 Accts. Abbotsbury, Dorset in Middle Eng. Dict. at Must Super le Musthous.
must maker n.
ΚΠ
1862 M. B. Betham-Edwards John & I I. xii. 255 John looked at the geese-stuffers—I at the most makers.
must making n.
ΚΠ
1862 M. B. Betham-Edwards John & I I. xii. 255 Cider or most making.
must-tub n.
ΚΠ
1870 Auctioneer's Catal. in G. F. Jackson Shropshire Word-bk. (1879) 296 Must-tub [into which the apple-pulp is put, in the process of cider-making].
must-tun n.
ΚΠ
1853 A. Ure Dict. Arts (ed. 4) I. 700 A little red precipitate of mercury, when added to the must-tun, stopped the fermentation.
must-vat n.
ΚΠ
1908 N.E.D. at Must sb1 Must-vat.
C2. † must-month n. Obsolete the month of September.
ΚΠ
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. ii. ii. 482 In Muste-Month [Fr. au mois donne-vin], the Beame Stands equi-poiz'd in equi-peizing them [sc. day and night].
must weight n. Winemaking a measure of grape ripeness, indicated by the concentration of dissolved compounds, esp. sugars, in grape juice or must.
ΚΠ
1867 Horticulturalist Dec. 354/2 But the records of its must weight..this year give it a grade from which we may expect a better wine.
1886 Daily Evening Bull. (San Francisco) 11 Dec. 3/3 Must weights of 100 oechsle and over are not infrequent.
1968 Times 23 May 33/5 Wines of above Auslese quality, and better, will go on developing in bottle for years to come (the ‘must’ weight of their fruit was enormous).
1991 Q. Rev. Wines Autumn 18/2 It is easier to pick wines in the official Auslese category on the Mosel than it is in the Rheingau as the minimum must weight standards are lower.
2003 Caterer & Hotelkeeper (Nexis) 18 Sept. 56 The must weights in some Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) have already exceeded 60 degrees Oechsle [sugar content].
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† mustn.2
Chiefly Scottish. Obsolete.
1. = musk n. Frequently attributive, esp. in must-ball, must-box.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > types of deer > [noun] > genus Moschus (musk-deer) > musk
musk1394
must1488
1488 in T. Thomson Coll. Inventories Royal Wardrobe (1815) 5 Item, twa tuthpikis of gold, with a chenye, a perle & erepike, a moist ball of gold [etc.].
a1522 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid (1960) xii. Prol. 148 Must, myr, aloes, or confectioun.
a1625 A. Montgomerie Flyting with Polwart (Harl.) 15 in Poems (1910) Thy smell was so fell, and stronger nor muist.
a1693 M. Bruce Good News in Evil Times (1708) 68 I carry a little Muist-box (which is the Word of God) in my Bosom, and when I meet with the ill Air of ill company, that's like to gar me Swarf, I besmell my self with the sweet savour of it.
1734 J. Spottiswood Hope's Observ. Law Scotl. 538 A Silver Muist-ball.
1843 M. A. Richardson Local Historian's Table Bk. (new ed.) Legendary Div. I. 272 Their necks deep-pierc'd, with must abound.
2. Hair powder, or something serving for this.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the hair > preparations used on the hair > [noun] > powders
hair-powder1663
must1796
maréchal1841
1796 Scots Mag. Nov. 770 I think ye [sc. a hairdresser] might exemption make, For the young bonny lasses sake, Nor moost nor guinea frae them take.
1808 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Must, an old term, applied by the vulgar to hair-powder, or flour used for this purpose... Perhaps it might anciently receive this name as being scented with musk.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
mustn.3adj.3
/mʌst/, U.S. /məst/ A. n.3
1. A use of ‘must’ (must v.1) to express a command, obligation, or necessity; (hence) an obligation, a duty; a compulsion.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > [noun] > absolute compulsion or obligation
must1598
obligationa1616
compulsoriness1861
bindingness1874
1598 B. Jonson Every Man in his Humor (1601) V. i. f. L2v Do you say you must arrest sirha: away with him to the iayle, ile teach you a tricke for your must.
1603 T. Dekker et al. Patient Grissill sig. H2 Must is for Kings, And loe obedience, for loe vnderlings.
1619 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher King & No King iv. sig. I1v 1 Sw. I, this must be granted. 2 Sw. Still the must: 1 Sw. I say this must be granted: 2 Sw. Giue me the must again, againe; brother you palter.
1631 B. Jonson Divell is Asse iii. iii. 209 in Wks. II Mer. You must. Eve. Must I? Doe you your musts, Sir, I'll doe mine.
1736 R. Ainsworth Thes. Linguæ Latinæ I. at Away Away with this must, aufer mihi oportet.
1768–74 A. Tucker Light of Nature (1834) II. 680 There is no must in the case, but they may and ought to be forborne.
1876 ‘G. Eliot’ Daniel Deronda II. iii. xxiii. 96 In uttering these three terrible musts, Klesmer lifted up three long fingers in succession.
1885 Pall Mall Gaz. 17 Jan. 1/1 The absolute Must of Duty and of Right.
1945 W. de la Mare Burning-glass & Other Poems 11 Less plagued, perhaps, by rigid musts and oughts, But no less frantic in vain argument.
1977 M. Torres in R. P. Rettig et al. Manny ii. 35/1 I'm beginning to get hooked [on heroin]. The physiological must is beginning to inhabit my guts.
1992 ELT Jrnl. 46 75 I need to discriminate between..those dreams that are merely pipe dreams..from the introjected ‘shoulds’, ‘musts’, and ‘oughts’ of my training.
2. colloquial (originally U.S.). Something highly recommended or not to be missed; an absolute essential for a particular purpose or end.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > condition of being necessary > [noun] > that which is necessary > thing necessary to be done
postulatum1667
must1892
1892 Dial. Notes 1 205 An article marked with the word must is spoken of as a must, or emphatically—if there is absolutely no way of keeping it out of the paper—as a dead must.
1943 Unknown Worlds June 125 (advt.) This book is absolutely a must for patriotic Americans.
1948 ‘J. Tey’ Franchise Affair xxi. 239 The Feathers—one of the ‘musts’ of American visitors to Britain—was..famous.
1960 House & Garden Mar. 136 Nature in Schweppshire is a top must, is actively encouraged.
1988 Jackie 2 Apr. 6/3 Cycling pants are an absolute must for the trendy chick.
1998 Touch July 98/2 Serving up a delicious selection of new English and Mediterranean cuisine, it's a must for rumbling stomachs.
B. adj.3
colloquial (originally U.S.). That is compelling in some respect; essential, mandatory.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > [adjective] > absolutely compulsory
duec1400
compulsory1581
compulsive1611
unelective1666
must1912
1912 M. Nicholson Hoosier Chron. 180 His gratification at being able to write ‘must’ matter for both sides of a prominent journal.
1937 Amer. Speech 12 8 Roosevelt..was called..The New Deal Caesar who specialized in must-legislation.
1952 Manch. Guardian Weekly 27 Nov. 3/2 A list of suggestions which he [sc. Senator Taft] had marked as either ‘must’ or ‘optional’ legislation.
1992 J. Lehrer Bus of my Own (1993) iv. 89 A must story from the publisher takes precedence over all other stories.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
mustn.4
/mʌst/, U.S. /məst/ Mustiness; mould. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [noun] > mouldy or musty condition
mustiness1526
mouldiness1559
vinniedness1565
foistiness1576
hoariness1580
must1602
vinnewinessa1722
motheriness1742
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > corruption or putridness > [noun] > mustiness, mouldiness, or mould
moulda1400
mow?a1500
mustiness1526
vinny1538
mouldiness1559
vinniedness1565
foistiness1576
hoariness1580
must1602
mucor1656
vinnewinessa1722
the world > plants > particular plants > plants perceived as weeds or harmful plants > poisonous or harmful plants > harmful or parasitic fungi > [noun] > mould or mildew > condition of being mouldy
moulinga1425
mouldness?c1475
mouldiness1559
must1602
1602 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) xiii. lxxviii. 322 By Rot, Must, Sowernes, Fruits, Corne, Wine good-Quallities forgoe.
1633 P. Fletcher Purple Island viii. xxxii. 114 Such was his minde, tainted with idle must.
1693 J. Evelyn tr. J. de La Quintinie Compl. Gard'ner i. iii. ii. 88 A kind of Cellar, which is never without some Taste of Must.
1740 W. Ellis Suppl. to London & Country Brewer ii. 11 Water natually [sic] breeds a Must, which is a Sort of Mushroom.
1777 W. Marshall Minutes Agric. 15 July (1778) I am in hopes that it will act as an antiputrescent, and preserve it from mould and must.
1827 T. Hood Ode to Melancholy 116 Like the sweet blossoms of the May, Whose fragrance ends in must.
1856 C. Dickens Little Dorrit (1857) ii. x. 407 The gloom, and must, and dust of the whole tenement, were secret.
1897 Literature 11 Dec. 233/2 His notes..savour of dryness and must.
1984 J. Updike Hugging Shore (1985) 780 The must of alchemists' libraries pervades his learning.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† mustadj.1
Obsolete. rare.
Perhaps: sour.
ΚΠ
1547 A. Borde Breuiary of Helthe i. f. Cxliv His stomake is turned and must, or els is redy to perbreake or to vomyt.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
† mustadj.2
Obsolete. rare.
Of wine: new, unfermented.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > wine > qualities or characteristics of wine > [adjective] > matured or fermented > not
greeneOE
musty?1440
must1559
mustulent1592
aiglent1623
infermented1732
stummy1770
mute1801
fiery-new1842
1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner Treasure of Euonymus 383 Siething the medicines with the wyne whyle it is must and new [L. cum musto].
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
mustv.1
/mʌst/, U.S. /məst/α. Old English moste (1st and 3rd singular indicative, singular subjunctive), late Old English mosta (rare), early Middle English mosste ( Ormulum), early Middle English mostæ, Middle English mast, Middle English moost, Middle English mouste, Middle English mvste, Middle English–1600s most, Middle English–1500s moste, Middle English–1500s muste, Middle English– must, 1500s moust, 1900s– mus' (U.S. regional and nonstandard (chiefly in African-American usage)); Scottish pre-1700 moist, pre-1700 moste, pre-1700 1700s– must, pre-1700 (1900s– Shetland) most.
β. 2nd singular indicative. Old English–early Middle English mostes, Old English–Middle English mostest, early Middle English moostes, Middle English mostist, Middle English mustest, Middle English mvstest, 1500s– must.
γ. Plural. Old English mostan (indicative), Old English mosten (subjunctive), Old English moston (indicative), Old English mostun (indicative), Middle English most, Middle English moste, Middle English mosten, Middle English moston, Middle English mostyn, Middle English muste, Middle English musthe, Middle English mustyn, Middle English–1500s musten, Middle English– must; Scottish pre-1700 moist, pre-1700 moste, pre-1700 1700s most, pre-1700 1700s– must.
With negative particle affixed 1700s– musn't, 1700s– mustn't Brit./ˈmʌsnt/, U.S. /ˈməsnt/, 1800s– musent (regional), 1900s– mussent (English regional (northern)), 1900s– mustnt; Scottish 1900s– musnae. A modal auxiliary, normally complemented by the bare infinitive.† I. In senses expressing possibility, as the past tense of mote v.1 1.† 1. Expressing permission or possibility in the past, corresponding to mote v.1 1.Originally in the past indicative in sense 1a and in the past subjunctive in sense 1b.
a. Might, was able or permitted to, could. Chiefly (from early Middle English onwards) with negative expressed or implied. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > expressing possibility [verb] > in the past
mustOE
motea1325
OE Beowulf 3100 Þenden he burhwelan brucan moste.
OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 264 Licet is alyfed is word: mihi licet ic mot, nobis licet we moton; tibi licuit ðu mostest.
c1175 ( Homily (Bodl. 343) in S. Irvine Old Eng. Homilies (1993) 139 Hit þuncþ moniȝe monnum wunderlice..hu deofel..Cristes lichame ætrinæn durste, oðer forðen þæt he him on neawste cumen moste.
a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 9 Ȝef þu sungedest to-ward þine drihtene and me hit mihte witen, nouþer gold ne seoluer ne moste gan for þe.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 133 Of al þe brade eorðe ne moste he habben a greot forte deien up on.
a1300 Vision St. Paul (Jesus Oxf.) 190 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 152 For heo nolden beon ischriven Þe hwile þat hi mosten lyuen.
c1300 St. Kenelm (Laud) 243 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 352 (MED) Þo þis bodi ne moste beo ifounde in Engelonde, Ore louerd..to him he sende is sonde.
c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) 345 Ȝif he in pays wende most, He wold taken al his ost And leden hem to his cuntraye.
c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) 762 (MED) After he bad his goddes feyre, He most wyte of his eyre.
c1425 (?a1400) Arthur (Longleat 55) 570 Mordred fly toward Londoun; He most nat come in þe toun.
c1425 (c1400) Laud Troy-bk. 17535 (MED) He..bad hem mak Be-twene hem of Grece—iff thei moste—A fynal pes, what-so it coste.
c1450 (c1380) G. Chaucer House of Fame iii. 2094 They were achekked bothe two And neyther of hem moste out goo.
c1475 (a1400) Brut (Douce) 6 (MED) He Saw þat he moste not Abyde, & went..in-to þe Greek.
b. In requests, clauses of purpose, wishes, etc.: might, should, might be permitted to. Obsolete.Occasionally with verb of motion understood (cf. sense 3a(b)).
ΚΠ
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) v. ix. 123 Hie..eft wæron biddende þæt Metellus to Rome moste.
OE Crist III 1388 Ic ðe swa scienne gesceapen hæfde, wynlicne geworht, ond þe welan forgyfen þæt ðu mostes wealdan worulde gesceaftum.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1123 Ða biscopas..iedon ealle samodlice to þone kyng and ieornden þæt hi mosten cesen of clerc hades man swa hwam swa swa hi wolden to ercebiscop.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 9920 He bad þe to fultume þene milde Godes sune. þat þu mostes wel don.
c1300 St. Andrew (Harl.) 75 in C. D'Evelyn & A. J. Mill S.-Eng. Legendary (1956) 545 (MED) Hail beo þu, swete rode..Þat þu wiþ mi Louerdes lymes ihalewed mostest beo.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2624 Iakabeð wente bliðe a-gen, Ðat ghe ðe gildes [perh. read cildes] fostre muste ben.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 3978 Þe king bi-souȝt þe quene..þat he most se his sone.
c1395 G. Chaucer Clerk's Tale 550 And mekely she to the sergeant preyde..That she moste [v.rr. muste, myȝt] kisse hir child er that it deyde.
c1400 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Trin. Cambr. R.3.14) (1960) A. viii. 23 (MED) And..þei swere be here soule, & so god muste [v.r. mote] hem helpe.
c1400 Brut (Rawl. B. 171) 114 (MED) If ȝe wolde consent and grant þat y most her haue, þan shulde y be riche ynow.
a1500 (?a1390) J. Mirk Festial (Gough) (1905) 9 (MED) Þe deuell..come..yn þe lickenes of a fayre woman, prayng þat ho most speke wyth hym yn schryft.
II. In senses expressing necessity, as past and present tense.
2. Expressing necessity or obligation in the past, originally corresponding to mote v.1 2.In modern use mostly confined to instances of oblique narration, and of the virtual oblique narration in which the speaker has in his mind what might have been said or thought at the time.
a. Had to, was obliged to, it was necessary that (I, etc.) should.Occasionally with verb of motion understood (cf. sense 3a(b)).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > must of necessity [verb (intransitive)] > be absolutely compelled or obliged > was absolutely compelled or obliged
mustOE
the mind > will > necessity > must of necessity [verb (intransitive)] > be absolutely compelled or obliged > was absolutely compelled or obliged > at the time (in virtual oblique narration)
mustOE
busc1400
must1719
OE Beowulf 1939 Hraþe seoþðan wæs æfter mundgripe mece geþinged, þæt hit sceadenmæl scyran moste, cwealmbealu cyðan.
OE Christ & Satan 107 Ær ic moste in ðeossum atolan æðele gebidan.
c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (1973) 1533 (MED) Bicom to þet te king, Maxence, moste fearen.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) 9904 He mosten [c1300 Otho moste] cume sone to his kine-dome.
?a1300 Fox & Wolf 85 in G. H. McKnight Middle Eng. Humorous Tales (1913) 28 (MED) Þis boket biginneþ to sinke..Adoun he moste, he wes þerinne.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 1052 (MED) Þanne seiȝ þei no socour, but sunder þanne þei moste.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. 2309 (MED) Such a thurst was on him falle, That he moste owther deie or drinke.
c1395 G. Chaucer Squire's Tale 442 For wel she wiste The faukon moste fallen fro the twiste Whan that it swowned next for lakke of blood.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 2249 (MED) Wit cord and plum þai wroght sa hei, Þe hette o þe sun moght þai noght drei; Þar-for most þai þam hide Bath wit hors and camel hide.
1450 W. Lomnor in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) II. 35 And they seyd he moste speke with here master.
c1450 (c1380) G. Chaucer House of Fame 187 He moste unto Itayle, As was hys destinee.
?1473 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Recuyell Hist. Troye (1894) I. lf. 16 How dardanus slew his broder iasius by trayson wherfore he moste departe out of the contre.
?1532 Tales & Quicke Answeres sig. E He hadde nother moneye nor ware to paye: wherfore he was arrested, and muste come before the Iustyce.
1597 R. Johnson 2nd Pt. Famous Hist. Seauen Champions vi. sig. H2v His craftie and subtil perswations so much preuailed, that I coulde not frame any excuse to the contrarie, but muste needes consent to his demaund.
1657 N. Billingsley Brachy-martyrologia xi. 34 He soon profess'd he was a Christian..so He was condemn'd, and must to torment go.
1691 T. Shadwell Scowrers i. i. 3 In those days a man could not go from the Rose Tavern to the Piazza once, but he must venture his life twice.
1751 R. Paltock Life Peter Wilkins I. xxi. 203 In three Hours search I could not find one of them; tho' I was sure they could not pass my Net, and must be within the compass of a small Room.
1781 C. Johnstone Hist. John Juniper II. 13 He said he must e'en be content to stay where he was.
1785 W. Cowper Let. 27 Aug. (1981) II. 373 I foresaw plainly this inconvenience, that in writing to him on such an occasion, I must almost unavoidably make Self and Self's Book the subject.
1802 W. Wordsworth Once did she Hold (Sonn.) 8 She was a Maiden City, bright and free;..And, when She took unto herself a Mate, She must espouse the everlasting Sea.
1841 T. Carlyle On Heroes v. 260 If you wanted to know what Abelard knew, you must go and listen to Abelard.
1845 E. FitzGerald Lett. (1889) I. 154 Poussin must spend his life in Italy before he could paint as he did.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. i. 50 It was necessary to make a choice. The government must either submit to Rome, or must obtain the aid of the Protestants.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. 619 Yet a few hours of gloomy seclusion, and he must die a violent and shameful death.
1873 New Englander Jan. 58 He was without fortune and must earn his own support.
1894 J. T. Fowler in St. Adamnan Vita S. Columbae Introd. 74 He could not bear to be idle..he must always be doing something.
1925 Amer. Mercury Aug. 486/1 I..awoke to realize that I must forage for my breakfast.
1941 R. H. Jackson Struggle for Judicial Supremacy v. 124 The year 1936 was one of increasing tensions. The President must stand for re-election.
1992 A. W. Eckert Sorrow in our Heart iii. 178 Captains Chaine and Duquesne..were sure that..they could convince them that they were hopelessly outnumbered and must surrender themselves and their fort or die.
b. Expressing an insistent demand or a firm resolve on the part of the speaker or imputed to another person: was (were) determined to, insisted that I (he, etc.) would. Cf. the earlier present-tense use in sense 4.
ΚΠ
1609 W. Shakespeare Pericles iv. 40 Those pallats who not yet too sauers younger, Must haue inuentions to delight the tast.
1612 G. Chapman Widdowes Teares i. sig. C3 He could not be content to admore Diana in her Temple, but he must needes dogge her to her retir'd pleasures.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones ix. vi If it had not been for your nonsense, nothing had happened. You must be meddling with what did not belong to you.
1862 W. M. Thackeray Adventures of Philip III. ix. 206 Hunt..began to swear and rage more loudly, and to demand to be let in. He must and would see Mrs. Brandon.
1918 W. Lewis Tarr v. x. 189 She had a moment before she felt that she must see him again, once.
c. As a past or historic present tense, used satirically or indignantly with reference to some foolish or annoying action or some untoward event. Now rare.Labelled by N.E.D. (1908) ‘Now colloq.’.
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a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) iv. iii. 213 And I must be from thence? My wife kil'd too? View more context for this quotation
1713 Guardian 28 Aug. 2/1 Nothing would satisfie Sir George..but he must go into the Den.
1819 W. Wordsworth Waggoner iii. 36 That instant was begun a 'fray..; The Mastiff, ill-conditioned carl! What must he do but growl and snarl?
1837 S. Lover Rory O'More (1838) i. i. 6 His father was a dacent 'pottekery before him, but he must turn 'torney, bad luck to him, and instead of doin' people good it's doing them all the harm he can.
1851 M. Howitt Heir of Wast-Wayland v. 88 One day, when th' master wer' out, what must they do but open all th' window-shuts, and look at th' things..which he wer' so tender of, that he could not bear to look at them himself.
1882 Harper's Mag. Nov. 939/1 Why had he been content to live..in London, when he ought to have been by Kitty's side?.. But he must needs go and leave her alone.
1886 R. L. Stevenson Kidnapped xxviii. 287 In 1715, what must he do but run away to join the rebels?
1908 N.E.D. (at cited word) Mod. Colloq. The fool must needs go and quarrel with his only friend. Just when I was busiest, that bore C. must come in and waste three hours. As soon as I had recovered from my illness, what must I do but break my leg?
3. In the present tense, equivalent to the older mote v.1 2.The use as a present arose from the practice of employing the past subjunctive as a moderate, cautious, or polite substitute for the present indicative.
a. Expressing necessity: am (is, are) obliged or required to; have (has) to; it is necessary that (I, you, he, it, etc.) should.In the second person, must now chiefly expresses a command or an insistent request or counsel; in the third person it tends to be restricted to the expression of a necessity which is either imposed by the will of the speaker, or relative to some specified end, or enunciated as a general proposition.
(a) With following infinitive.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > must of necessity [verb (intransitive)] > be absolutely compelled or obliged
shallc888
moteOE
must?c1225
bida1300
maunc1480
fall1681
get1767
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 85 Were heo .aa. mid þe world sumchere ha moste beon ipaiȝet mid lesse & mid wurse.
c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Laud) (1901) 1254 ‘Reymyld,’ qwad horn, ‘ich moste wende To þe wodes hende After mine knyȝtes’.
c1395 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 440 Oon of vs two moste [v.r. moot] bowen doutelees, And sith a man is moore resonable Than woman is, ye mosten been suffrable.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5018 (MED) Yee most [a1400 Gött. must] yow hast on your fare.
c1450 tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Lyfe Manhode (Cambr.) (1869) 171 (MED) Ther inne..thou mustest bathe thee for to hele thi woundes.
a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) 2955 (MED) Consydre how thow art ysett Vnder a-nother and soget To hym, and mvstest hym obeye.
a1486 Ordinances Chivalry in Archaeologia (1900) 57 39 (MED) The vj Gentilmen most com in to þe felde un helmyd..& thayre servantes on horsbake.
a1500 (?a1400) Tale King Edward & Shepherd (Cambr.) (1930) 32 (MED) I am so pylled with þe Kyng Þat i most fle fro my wonyng.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Euensong f. viv He therefore that will bee saued: must thus thinke of the trinitie.
1579 S. Gosson Schoole of Abuse f. 39 The Thracians when they must pass ouer frosen streames, sende out their Wolues.
1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida iii. ii. 42 What are you gone againe, you must be watcht ere you be made tame, must you? View more context for this quotation
a1679 Earl of Orrery Generall iii. iii, in Dram. Wks. (1937) 136 Tell him, if hee his King does Love or feare, Hee must this night bring Altemera here.
1738 J. Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 2 Tom, you must go with us to Lady Smart's to Breakfast.
1776 Trial Maha Rajah Nundocomar for Forgery 16/1 The books must be produced, as we cannot receive parole evidence of their contents.
1799 E. Dubois Piece Family Biogr. III. 203 Well, since it seems that it must be so, I do acquiesce in it.
1810 S. Smith Wks. (1850) 188/1 It must be remembered, that [etc.].
1823 Bickerstaffe's Padlock (rev. ed.) i. iii. 15 Diego... Puts on a large padlock... That must do till I get a larger.
1891 Law Times 90 441/2 The judges criticise Parliament, and they in their turn must accept criticism upon their order.
1920 D. H. Lawrence Women in Love viii. 107 I must go to church and read the lessons. They expect me.
1947 Nucleonics Dec. 47/1 The film must be in firm contact with the solid surface to obtain a sharp picture.
1996 J. Brown Hong Kong & Macau: Rough Guide (ed. 3) 3/1 With the cheapest fares, you must stay a minimum of seven days and a maximum of three months.
(b) With verb of motion understood. Now archaic.
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c1390 G. Chaucer Man of Law's Tale 282 Allas vnto the Barbre nacioun I moste anon.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xv. 524 A medecyne mote [v.r. muste; C. moste] þer-to þat may amende prelates.
a1450 Castle Perseverance (1969) l. 3037 Wrechyd sowle, þou muste to helle.
?1518 Virgilius sig. Aiiijv [She] sayd to hym ye must to Tolleten and tell Virgilius my sone that he come & redresse his enherytaunce with in and with out Rome.
1584 R. Wilson Three Ladies of London ii. E ij For I must to the wedding..although I had no bidding.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) iii. v. 2 My Emperor hath wrote, I must from hence. View more context for this quotation
1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 60 With Poëts..out it must whatsoever they have conceived.
1720 R. Welton tr. T. Alvares de Andrade Sufferings Son of God I. viii 204 Thou wast but just come into the World, when, presently, Thou must Away, and take thy Flight into Egypt.
1731 J. Swift To Gay in J. Swift et al. Misc. V. 124 His Work is done, the Minister must out.
1776 Battle of Brooklyn ii. 21 I must away and join my men.
1820 Ld. Byron Blues ii. 150 But 'tis now nearly five, and I must to the Park.
1884 Ld. Tennyson Becket iii. ii. 129 Seeing he must to Westminster and crown Young Henry there to-morrow.
1889 Macm. Mag. May 77 This shamefacedness will be thought mere folly of course in these days when everything must to the papers.
1911 J. Muir My First Summer in Sierra 188 Sundown, and I must to camp.
1991 M. S. Power Come the Executioner (1992) iii. 22 And now I must away. Margaret is entertaining, and I have to be there.
(c) With implied infinitive taken from the context.
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1615 A. Stafford Heavenly Dogge 64 What I must, that I will do, without so much as a repine or a struggle.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) ii. ii. 2 Pro. Haue patience, gentle Iulia. Iul. I must where is no remedy. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iii. ii. 97 Com. I thinke 'twill serue, if he can thereto frame his spirit. Volum. He must, and will. View more context for this quotation
1712 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 21 Dec. (1948) II. 585 I dind with Ld Tr., and must again to morrow.
1838 J. P. Kennedy Rob of Bowl (1866) ix. 77 Indeed, I must not and cannot, playmates.
1863 R. W. Emerson Voluntaries in Atlantic Monthly Oct. 505 When Duty whispers low, Thou must, The youth replies, I can.
1876 Ld. Tennyson Harold v. i. 135 I have not spoken to the king One word; and one I must. Farewell!
1882 Wheel World May 12 There's no compulsion; only you must.
1928 D. H. Lawrence Lady Chatterley's Lover xix. 359 ‘I care nothing about that,’ he said. ‘But you must! I shall prevent the child from being legally yours, if I can.’
1991 D. Wingrove Chung Kuo (BNC) 120 He sighed deeply, finding it hard to say what he must.
b. Expressing a fixed or certain futurity: am (is, are) fated or certain to, shall certainly or inevitably.
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a1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 9 (MED) Nou þu moostes, lauedi, lere wmmone wo, þat barnes bere.
c1350 Apocalypse St. John: A Version (Harl. 874) (1961) 141 (MED) And whan he comeþ, he most [Fr. il covient qu'il, L. oportet illum] duelle a litel while.
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Hunterian) f. 70 (MED) Þe þrid cause why þat þer moste be two Reynes is be cause þat þe tone of hem in tyme off nescessite schulde mowe fulfillen þe office of hem boþe.
c1450 C. d'Orleans Poems (1941) 78 (MED) Al most we deye; therto so lete vs lowt.
a1500 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Trin. Dublin) 707 (MED) Thole must [c1450 Ashm. mon] I sone þe slauughter of my..sonn.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) John iii. f. cxxiij He must increace: And I muste decreace.
1597 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet iv. i. 48 I heare thou must and nothing may proroge it, On Thursday next be married to the Countie. View more context for this quotation
1661 Princess Cloria iii. 331 This hath..assured me, that I must die within a very short space.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. 133 Crowds of dead, that never must return To their lov'd Hives.
1726 C. Johnson Female Fortune-teller iv. 77 I knew she must come, but I did not expect her so soon.
1771 T. Smollett Humphry Clinker I. 88 My wool will suffer for want of grace; so that I must be a looser on all sides.
1882 Cent. Mag. Nov. 51/1 The more perfect the success of the club shall be, the further off will be the practical coöperation to which we must come at last.
1892 Ld. Esher in Law Times Rep. 67 211/1 The sewage matter..goes along a sewer which must carry it into the stream, unless it is intercepted on the way.
1930 J. H. Jeans Universe around Us (ed. 2) vi. 332 Such is the final end of things to which..the material universe must inevitably come in some far-off age.
c. impersonal. [Compare French il me faut ; also Middle English me oughte , ought v.] It behoves (or behoved), it is (or was) necessary to. Originally with personal object; later without object and with implied infinitive, and in recent use only after needs (see needs adv. 4).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > must of necessity [verb (intransitive)]
must1372
needs must1604
havea1829
get1912
1372 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 85 (MED) Þis gamen alone me must pleyȝe.
c1395 G. Chaucer Canon's Yeoman's Tale 946 Vs [v.r. We] moste [v.r. muste] putte oure good in auenture.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 10671 (MED) To godd..was i giuen..In his seruis me most [c1460 Laud must I] ai lend.
?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 112 (MED) He..feled wele þat he myght noȝt couer of þat sekeness, bot þat him most nedez dye þeroff.
c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 211 Ȝif þou fynde a thyng þat is noȝt þin, þe muste restore it, ȝif þou knowe to whom.
?1473 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Recuyell Hist. Troye (1894) I. lf. 13 For of force me muste obeye the kyng.
a1500 (a1400) Ipomedon (Chetham) (1889) 8275 My lyff now muste me tyne.
a1500 (a1400) Ipomedon (Chetham) (1889) 8409 (MED) Ipomadon saw that nedys hym mvste.
1604 E. Grimeston tr. True Hist. Siege Ostend 195 We beleeue them no more then needs must.
1692 R. L'Estrange Fables cclxxii. 238 'Tis Good..to run no more Risque of the Main Chance, then of Necessity Must.
1734 G. Berkeley Let. in Wks. (1871) IV. 218 I shall stay no longer in Dublin than needs must.
1821 W. Scott Kenilworth II. iv. 73 I..would have no more of these follies than needs must.
1871 R. Browning Balaustion 145 She shall go, if needs must.
1998 M. Waites Little Triggers (1999) ii. 17 ‘I'm pleased you have adapted yourself to our work ethic so readily.’ Larkin shook his head. ‘Needs must.’
d. With have and past participle. Expressing the present necessity or obligation of a past action or state: am (is, are) obliged or required to have done; have (has) to have done; it is necessary that (I, you, he, etc.) should have done.
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c1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Vesp. B.xii) (1904) 89 But he must haue affoted his lymere in soche a maner þat he ne opne ne qwestey noght in þe mornyng.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xlvi Thou must haue made redy a punche of harde wode with a stoppe, and a tenant on the one syde.
1665 R. Boyle Occas. Refl. v. vii. sig. Ll4v A man must have..learn'd an Hebrew Grammar, and turn'd over Buxtorf's, Schindler's, and other Dictionaries.
1691 J. Evelyn Kalendarium Hortense (ed. 8) 12 The Dung..must have passed its first Heat, lest applied before, it burn the Plant.
1694 R. South 12 Serm. II. 244 He must have pass'd his Tyrocinium, or Novitiate, in Sinning, before he can come to this.
1865 A. Esquiros Cornwall 156 One must have lived there to know what is the violence of the unchained winds.
1875 Encycl. Brit. II. 577 Officers for the General Staff are selected exclusively from the regular army, and..must have passed through the Staff College... Officers appointed to the Personal Staff are not required to pass through the Staff College.
1948 Sun (Baltimore) 23 Aug. 11/1 To be eligible to enter the roadeo drivers must have completed one year of no-accident driving for the same employer.
1995 Church Times 7 Apr. 22/1 (advt.) You must have qualified as an RMN, a social worker or a clinical psychologist.
4. Expressing an insistent demand or a firm resolve on the part of the speaker or imputed to another person: am (is, are) determined to, insist(s) that I (he, etc.) will.Quot. a1393 at sense 2a is assigned by N.E.D. (1908) to sense 2c, but it seems better placed here (as also do a number of present-tense examples from the 15th–18th centuries assigned to that sense by F. T. Visser Hist. Syntax Eng. Lang. (1969) III. §1705).
a. With following infinitive.
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a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. 526 (MED) Whan that the lord comth hom ayein, The janglere moste somwhat sein.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) 6569 (MED) Who made þis calf, I most [a1400 Vesp. wald] him ken.
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. clxviiiv Nowe Carles are nat content with one grange Nore one ferme place, suche is theyr insolence They must haue many.
a1516 H. Medwall Godely Interlude Fulgens i. sig. iv Ther is in cuttinge A new maner of fascyon now a day Be cause they sholde be som what straunge They moste be strypide all this way With small slypes of coloures gay.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 642/2 I muste be prayed..to do a thynge, je me veulx prier.
1673 J. Dryden Marriage a-la-Mode iv. iii. 60 I must, and will go.
1798 J. Baillie Tryal v. i, in Series Plays Stronger Passions I. 283 Softly, Mariane; let us leave this room, if you must laugh, for he will overhear you.
1824 M. Randolph Virginia House-wife 25 For those who must have gravy with these meats, let it be made in any way they like, and served in a boat.
1827 W. Wordsworth in N. C. Smith Lit. Crit. (1905) 258 He is not content with a ring and a bracelet, but he must have rings in the ears, rings on the nose—rings everywhere.
1861 H. A. Jacobs Incidents Life Slave Girl vii. 61 If you must have a husband, you may take up with one of my slaves.
1914 E. R. Burroughs Tarzan of Apes xviii It seems foolish to write you a letter that you may never see, but I simply must tell somebody of our awful experiences.
1942 R.A.F. Jrnl. 2 May 15 Why must you continually horse around, Ginger?
1992 More 28 Oct. 24 Those of you who really must wear a black dress should give a baby doll a go.
b. With implied infinitive taken from the context.
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1858 Harper's Mag. Dec. 52/1 The young girl..made up one of the most witching little mouths, and looked, ‘Well, if you must’ at Meliboeus.
1869 A. Trollope Phineas Finn xxxiv Do not quarrel with me if you can help it—but if you must I will be ready.
1931 B. Marshall Fr. Malachy's Miracle vii. 226 Have your little argy-bargy if you must.
5. In the main clause of a conditional sentence, or with a condition implied but not stated, expressing hypothetical necessity or obligation.† a. With reference to the present: would be obliged or required to; would have to; it would be necessary that (I, you, he, etc.) should. Obsolete.
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c1395 G. Chaucer Squire's Tale 38 It moste been a rethor excellent That koude hise colours longyng for that art If he sholde hire discryuen euery part.
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 283 (MED) If jhesus were born in þat countre, Þe jugement of herowdys he must Abyde.
1531 W. Tyndale Answere Mores Dialoge f. xvj If the significacion were once lost we must of necessite ether seke vpp the significacion or put some other significacion of gods word therto.
1569 E. Fenton tr. P. Boaistuau Certaine Secrete Wonders Nature xxxv. f. 126 You shall fynde, that if you coulde see them all put in accompt, there must needes be inuented a new Arithmetike to numbre hem.
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 991 If water were of the oune nature fructuous, it must needs follow, that it selfe alone, and at all times, should be able to produce fruit.
1704 J. Norris Ess. Ideal World II. viii. 381 If we were not to see but by striking a light to ourselves, we must for ever be in the dark.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones III. viii. x. 232 If I did not feel some Yearnings towards you from another Consideration, I must be the most ungrateful Monster upon Earth. View more context for this quotation
1835 H. Reeve tr. A. de Tocqueville Democracy in Amer. I. vi. 141 Were they to exercise this right, they must perforce encroach on rights more sacred than their own.
1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend II. iv. xi. 249 Why, I must go distracted for life, if I turned jealous of every one who used to find my wife beautiful.
b. With have and past participle. With reference to the past: would (in the case supposed) necessarily have done, would have had to do, would have been obliged to do. Now rare.
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c1450 (c1380) G. Chaucer House of Fame 410 He moste have ben al devoured Yf Adriane ne had ybe.
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 372 (MED) Had domysday oght tarid, We must haue biggid hell more, the warld is so warid.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Heb. xii. 20 Yf a beast had touched the mountayne, hit must have bene stoned.
1566 T. Drant tr. Horace Medicinable Morall sig. Evj If he [sc. Lucilius] had ben in these our dayes, He muste haue razde his ryme.
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1959) IV. 55 A Sheriffe that should burne him, who were condemned to be hanged, were a murderer, though that man must have dyed.
1695 J. Dryden in tr. C. A. Du Fresnoy De Arte Graphica Pref. p. xlvi Whereas if I had chosen a Noon-day Light for them, somewhat must have been discover'd, which would rather have mov'd our Hatred than our Pity.
1714 J. Swift Some Free Thoughts upon Present State Affairs (1741) 18 Had this Point been steadily pursued..there must probably have been an End of that Faction.
1787 E. Inchbald tr. A.-J. Damaniaut Midnight Hour i. i. 2 If the death of your uncle had not brought you here to inherit his estate, I must certainly have given up my place.
1816 J. Austen Emma I. vii. 110 Indeed, Harriet, it would have been a severe pang to lose you; but it must have been. You would have thrown yourself out of all good society. I must have given you up. View more context for this quotation
1896 F. S. Boas Shaks. & Predec. 384 (note) Had it [sc. Hamlet] been in existence..before 1598, it must have been mentioned by Meres.
1909 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Avonlea xxi. 252 If they had been so blind as to name her Elizabeth or Nellie or Muriel she must have been called Lavendar just the same, I think.
1972 E. Pargeter Bloody Field by Shrewsbury v. 144 If two of his companions..had not..afforded his face shelter enough to breathe, he must have died spread-eagled there.
6. Phrases.
a. In explanatory clauses, as you must know (also understand): ‘you ought to be informed’, ‘I would have you know’.
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a1450 (a1401) Chastising of God's Children (Bodl.) (1957) 166 Ȝe musten..undirstonde þat sum men bien trauelid of goddis suffrance bi þe wicked spirit.
1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) II. 1122/2 You must vnderstand, through the Citie of Rome, runneth a famous Ryuer, called Tyber.
?1573 H. Cheke tr. F. Negri Freewyl ii. ii. 67 Here you must vnderstande that maister Cleargie doth oftentimes supply a certayne number of people to those companyes aboue mentioned.
1599 Queen Elizabeth I Let. in F. Moryson Itinerary (1617) ii. 40 We must therefore let you know, that as it cannot be ignorance, so it cannot be want of meanes.
1656 J. Wallis Due Correct. Mr. Hobbes x. 116 I must tell you, that Sir H. Savile, had confuted Joseph Scaliger's Cyclometry.
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 40. ¶1 I must allow, that there are very noble Tragedies, which have been framed upon the other Plan.
1757 P. Bacon Oculist i. ii. 27, in Humorous Ethics Let me advise you—you must know, Sir, I am a piece of a doctor myself—I have been several years, a journeyman in the profession.
1831 H. Ware On Formation of Christian Char. 103 You must realize that you are actually speaking to him [sc. God]..as truly as when you address yourself to a visible mortal.
1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 514 I must beg to be absolved from the promise.
1885 E. R. B. Lytton Glenaveril II. iv. iv. 98 Cordelia's fortune, you must understand, Is now invested..in buying Enormous tracts of..land.
1917 E. R. Burroughs Princess of Mars xxii. 262 I do not need ask your forgiveness now, Dejah Thoris... You must know that my fault was of ignorance of your Barsoomian customs.
1966 E. Amadi Concubine xxviii. 256 You must realize your father is old now. You must not take everything he says or does to heart.
1973 J. Mills October Men iii. 35 There is, you must understand, no end to the stupidity and peccancy of the Montreal Police.
1991 New Yorker 9 Sept. 25/2 You must know, it was not just a few people who planned the putsch; it was a great many.
b. In expressions of the type I must say: ‘I cannot help saying’.
ΚΠ
1567 J. Pikerying Horestes sig. Biiij In dede I must saye, I haue cought the worst, But I wyll be reuengyd.
1576 G. Pettie Petite Pallace 209 I must confes that those which vse trades of trauaile in the common wealth, doe mutch good to the common wealth, but I must say, the learned doe more good.
1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) ii. 111 I must saye, that your taste differeth much from mine.
1617 H. Roberts Hist. Pheander (rev. ed.) xix. sig. I4 Yet how great soeuer his ouerthrow was, (an honorable minde I must say) were the cause iust, he ordained as mightie a power by Sea.
1721 N. Amhurst Terræ-filius No. 34 (1754) 181 He..gave me a glass of each to taste; which, I must say, was excellent ale indeed.
1871 M. Arnold Friendship's Garland 169 The Morning Star, I must say, does its duty nobly.
1963 P. White Let. 6 Oct. (1994) viii. 240 Returning to our house has been quite easy, though I must say it is still pretty cold and mildewy.
c. if you must know: used to introduce information provided against the judgement or inclination of the speaker.
ΚΠ
1691 J. Wilson Belphegor Epil. What is Portia's Vertue, but your own? Your own transcrib'd: and what (if ye must know The truth) he only copy'd off from you.]
1696 P. A. Motteux Love's a Jest iii. 30 Why, if you must know, forsooth, I left him hard at it, smoaking his Pipe yonder at Mother Humps.
1711 S. Centlivre Mar-plot iii. i. 27 Why then, Sir, if you must know, I have a Letter for him from a Lady who is desperately in love with him.
1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. II. x. 193 Well, if you must know, I never saw her before yesterday.
1902 H. James Wings of Dove xxxiii. 511 Well, if you must know—and I want you to be clear about it—I didn't even seriously think of a denial to her face.
1951 J. D. Salinger Catcher in Rye xix. 173 Girl lives in the Village. Sculptress. If you must know.
1972 ‘G. Harding’ Skytrap ii. 39 If you must know, I wanted to be kissed gently.
7. In the negative, expressing prohibition.The negative, though syntactically modifying the auxiliary, has the same effect as if it modified the following infinitive.The coincidence with the negative use of sense 1a and of mote v.1 1 is probably accidental.
a. With reference to the present: am (is, are) not allowed to, am (is, are) obliged not to; also sometimes expressing denial of permission to oneself.
ΚΠ
?1510 T. More in tr. G. F. Pico della Mirandola Lyfe I. Picus sig. f.ii Remembre well that we in no wise must Neither in the foresaide espirituall armour Nor any othir remedy put oure trust.
1522 Worlde & Chylde (de Worde) (1909) sig. B.iiv All false wytnesse ye must denaye Neyther ye must not couete no mannes wyfe.
1549 R. Crowley Maiestrates Lesson in Voyce Laste Trumpet sig. Diii Thou must not couet imperie Nor seke to rule straunge nacions.
1583 W. Fulke Def. Transl. Script. xxii. 512 We must not..drawe places of Scripture vnto Christ, which by the holy Ghost had an other meaning.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard III iii. i. 106 Yor. And therfore is he idle? Glo. Oh my faire Cosen, I must not say so.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) i. iv. 10 I must not thinke There are, euils enow to darken all his goodnesse. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) ii. v. 58 You must not meruaile Helen at my course. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) i. i. 40 You must in no way say he is couetous. View more context for this quotation
1675 R. Baxter Catholick Theol. ii. viii. 146 You must not forestall the Truth by any of these false suppositions.
1740 S. Richardson Pamela II. 362 I will love you dearly! But I mustn't love my Uncle! Why so? said he.
1768 H. Brooke Fool of Quality III. xvi. 204 You must not enter any door of the lower story..for there our domestics inhabit.
1832 Ld. Tennyson Death of Old Year in Poems (new ed.) 154 Old year, you must not die... Old year, you shall not die.
1882 ‘L. Keith’ Alasnam's Lady III. 279 ‘I suppose I mustn't touch the precious papers?’ she was saying.
1902 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ Stronger than Love v I must not sit here talking.
1945 C. E. Balleisen Princ. Firearms x. 104 The design of a mechanism must not require an excessive amount of lubricant.
2000 N.Y. Times 1 July a13/5 We must not allow ourselves to be blinded by the supposed glamour of manned space flight.
b. With have and past participle. With reference to the past: am (is, are) not allowed to have, am (is, are) obliged not to have; (also, occasionally) it is necessary that (a person) should not have.
ΚΠ
1937 D. Thomas Let. (1987) 248 Darling, you mustn't have been angry with me for not writing my love...You must not have disbelieved..that day and night I think of you.
1987 Sc. Curler Sept. 3/2 The new rules..will permit only two substitutes in a rink throughout the entire competition...In addition, the substitutes must not have played previously in the competition.
1990 Dog World Aug. 127/2 The hare must not have been chased by more than ‘a brace of greyhounds’ and it was to be given at least a 12-yard head start.
III. Senses expressing presumed certainty.
8. Expressing the (present) inferred or presumed certainty of a fact.Sometimes expressing an inference which will be rendered necessary if some particular assumption is made, as in if he says so, it must be true; if he really did it, he must have been mad.† c. With be, equivalent to sense 8b: must have been, presumably was or were. Obsolete.
a. With reference to the present: it is to be inferred that I (you, he, etc.) do, I (you, he, etc.) surely do.
ΚΠ
c1300 (c1250) Floris & Blauncheflur (Cambr.) (1966) l. 521 He moste kunne muchel of art, Þat þu woldest ȝeue þerof part.
c1522 T. More Wks. (1557) 97/1 Nedes must it be a deadlye enemy to the soule, that bringeth foorth two such doughtres.
1590 Tarltons Newes out of Purgatorie 23 He like an Asse because he hath a faire wife, thinks that per Consequens he must be a Cuckold.
1620 tr. G. Boccaccio Decameron I. iii. x I think the people who spend their time otherwise than in serving God must be very foolish.
1656 J. Evelyn Animadversions in tr. Lucretius De Rerum Natura 164 The continent must be incorporeal, the contained corporeal.
1673 J. Dryden Marriage a-la-Mode i. i. 8 Your friend? then he must needs be of much merit.
1757 B. Franklin Let. in London Chron. 20 Sept. in Writings How much easier must it be for such an Enemy to destroy a Ploughman at Work in his Field?
1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 167 I am sure you must have one of the best pulses of any woman in the world.
1768 O. Goldsmith Good Natur'd Man iii. 44 But, come, the letter I wait for must be almost finish'd.
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas II. iv. x. 202 Such a house must belong to some family above the common.
a1834 S. T. Coleridge Specimens of Table Talk (1835) II. 101 Yet the shipping interest, who must know where the shoe pinches, complain to this day.
1879 G. Meredith Egoist xxxvi How you must enjoy a spell of dulness!
1891 E. Peacock Narcissa Brendon I. 54 He must be an old man.
1915 W. S. Maugham Of Human Bondage civ. 546 What must you think of me? But I can't 'elp meself.
1940 D. Thomas Let. 4 Apr. (1987) 448 Would it..be possible, do you think, to get..a nonfighting job?.. There must, surely be little jobs in the army, like cook or storeboy.
1988 M. Bishop Unicorn Mountain xi. 100 I think he must believe I'm highly infectious.
b. With have and past participle. With reference to the past: it is to be concluded that I (you, he, etc.) did, I (you, he,etc.) undoubtedly did.
ΚΠ
c1395 G. Chaucer Squire's Tale 281 He moste han knowe loue and his seruyse And been a festlich man as fressh as May, That sholde yow deuysen swich array.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan iii. xxxiii. 202 The History of Queen Esther is of the time of the Captivity; and therefore the Writer must have been of the same time, or after it.
1696 W. Whiston New Theory of Earth ii. 72 Our upper Earth..being in all probability founded on a dense Fluid or Abyss..by consequence must have been such a dense and heavy one as is here mention'd.
1762 O. Goldsmith Citizen of World II. 33 This must have been a sad shock to the poor disconsolate parent.
1800 W. Wordsworth Hart-leap Well 141 What thoughts must through the creature's brain have past!
1834 Tait's Edinb. Mag. New Ser. 1 13/1 All was shut up in darkness, and must have been so for some hours.
1887 H. Caine Life Coleridge 123 Coleridge must have earned a substantial sum by these lectures.
1903 J. Morley Life Gladstone I. Pref. p. vii Between two and three hundred thousand written papers of one sort or another must have passed under my view.
1991 R. Oliver Afr. Experience (1993) v. 55 Local dynasties must certainly have existed by Gerzean times.
ΚΠ
1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year I think it was in June, towards the latter end of the month; it must be before the dead-carts came about.
1733 J. Tull Horse-hoing Husbandry xv. 93 Whilst the Roman Empire was in its Glory..its Price must be then very High.
9. With be. Expressing past inferred certainty, in oblique and virtual oblique narration (cf. sense 2a).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > must of necessity [verb (intransitive)] > be absolutely compelled or obliged > was absolutely compelled or obliged > at the time (in virtual oblique narration)
mustOE
busc1400
must1719
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 250 He..thought that there must be some wonderful Fund of Death and Destruction in that Thing.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver II. iv. iii. 36 He replied, That I must needs be mistaken.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver II. iv. iii. 41 After which he said, it was plain I must be a perfect Yahoo.
1864 A. Trollope Can you forgive Her? I. xl. 316 As he thought of this he almost fancied that he must be in a dream.
1990 R. Morris Edges of Sci. ii. vii. 133 Tyson and Sweitzer concluded that they must be newborn galaxies.
10. Originally U.S. In the negative, expressing presumed certainty of something not being the case.The negative, though syntactically modifying the auxiliary, has the same effect as if it modified the following infinitive (cf. sense 7).
a. With have and past participle. With reference to the past: was (were) certain not to have, may be presumed not to have, could not have.
ΚΠ
1871 Congressional Globe 17 Feb. 1356/1 It occurred to me..[that] the gentleman from California had made what fishermen call a ‘waterhaul’. [Laughter.] It surely must not have been what he expected.
1958 J. Barth End of Road xii. 226 It was evident to me that he knew more than he was telling, but whatever Joe told him must not have involved me.
1964 R. A. Hall, Jr. Introductory Linguistics 307 Even in elegant pronunciation final -m must not have been pronounced as a consonant.
1965 P. Highsmith Suspension of Mercy 92 She must not have told anybody in the neighbourhood.
1995 Nation 10 Apr. 502/2 Revealing anecdotes must not have been easy to come by.
b. Referring to the present: is (am, are) certain not to, may be presumed not to, cannot.
ΚΠ
1960 H. Lee To kill Mockingbird 109 Jem would say she must not be very sick, she hollered so.
1966 E. O'Brien Casualties of Peace 144 ‘I never took a picture of you,’ he said. ‘Why is that?’ ‘I mustn't be pretty,’ she said.
1976 H. Smith Russians v. 128 He must not be much of a man.
1998 N.Y. Times Mag. 1 Mar. 23/4 Manhattanites must not be terribly concerned about loud noise, or they would move away.
IV. Senses requesting permission.
11. regional. In questions: = may, shall. Also if I must: ‘if I may’. Cf. mote v.1 1.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > expressing possibility [verb]
mayeOE
moteOE
maunc1450
can1567
musta1796
a1796 S. Pegge Two Coll. Derbicisms (1896) 46 Also, must for may, as, ‘I will go if I must.’
1889 E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincs. (ed. 2) (at cited word) Must I goä oot wi' Jaane, muther; we'll be back e' time to get teä ready.
1896 F. M. T. Palsgrave List Words & Phrases Hetton-le-Hole (at cited word) ‘Would you like your milk to drink, Mr. P.?’ ‘Yes, please.’ ‘Must I bring you't, then?’
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
mustv.2
/mʌst/, U.S. /məst/ Now English regional (rare).† 2. transitive. To make mouldy or mildewed. Obsolete. rare.
1. intransitive. To become mouldy, musty, or mildewed; to acquire a musty or sour smell.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > fetor > stink [verb (intransitive)] > become fusty or musty
must1530
foisty1572
foist1583
fusta1592
musty1631
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > corruption or putridness > become corrupt or putrid [verb (intransitive)] > become musty or mouldy
vinnyOE
moul?c1225
mould1530
must1530
foisty1572
hoar1573
musty1631
mildew1651
to grow whiskers1977
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 642/2 I muste as breed dothe, je moysys.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 642/2 I muste or foyste, as a vessel dothe, je moysis.
1577 W. Harrison Hist. Descr. Islande Brit. ii. xi. f. 86/2, in R. Holinshed Chron. I Tyl it [sc. the corn] must and putrifie.
1648 T. Gage Eng.-Amer. xviii. 135 The Wheat will not keep long without musting and breeding a worm called Gurgojo.
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry 103 In wet Weather it [sc. barley] will be inclined to sprout or must.
1769 E. Raffald Experienced Eng. House-keeper iv. 90 Dry it often with a Cloth to keep it from musting.
1888 B. Lowsley Gloss. Berks. Words & Phrases 115 Them pots o' jam be beginnin' to must.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > cause bad condition in [verb (transitive)] > make mouldy or musty
moul?c1430
vinny?1608
mould1635
must1707
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > corruption or putridness > make corrupt or putrid [verb (transitive)] > make musty or mouldy
moul?c1430
mildew1552
vinny?1608
mould1635
must1707
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry 111 Some Granaries..are subject, against wet Weather, to give and be moist, which is very bad for Corn, and will must it.
1892 Harper's Mag. June 98/2 Barley..has no dews or rains to bleach or ‘must’ it when it is ripening.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† mustv.3
Scottish. Obsolete.
transitive. To dress or dust with hair powder. See must n.2 2.
ΚΠ
1734 H. Blyde Contract 4 Sae I..muisted my Head, & made ready a clean Oerlay.
1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun (new ed.) iii. 66 [ iv. xix] Tho' muisted is your carrot pash.
1816 W. Scott Antiquary I. x. 229 Would ye creesh his bonny brown hair wi' your nasty ulyie, and then moust it like the auld minister's wig?
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
† mustv.4
Obsolete. rare.
intransitive. Of a male elephant, etc.: to come into a state of musth (see musth adj. and n.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > order Proboscidea (elephants) > [verb (intransitive)] > be in state of must
to go musth1887
must1893
1893 R. Kipling Many Inventions 43 As when one o' they native king's elephants musted last June.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
> see also
also refers to : must-comb. form
<
n.1OE
n.21488n.3adj.31598
n.41602adj.11547adj.21559
v.1eOE
v.21530v.31734
v.41893see also