Middle English Dictionary Entry
nẹ̄des adv.
Entry Info
Forms | nẹ̄des adv. Also neodes, nedisse. |
Etymology | From nēd(e adv. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of necessity, necessarily; inevitably, unavoidably; willen ~, ~ willen, to wish, intend, or have (to do sth.) of necessity or certainly; (b) moten ~, moten..~, ~ moten, ~..moten, owen ~, ~..owen, shulen ~, ~ shulen, to have (to do sth.), be necessarily obliged, required, or compelled; (c) he mot (moste) ~, he ~ moste, ~ he moste, etc., he must of necessity (do sth.), he should or ought; etc.; hit mot (moste) ~, mot hit ~, ~ hit mot, it must necessarily (be, do, or suffer sth.); (d) hit) bihoveth ~, etc., it is necessary, required, appropriate, or inevitable [see also bihoven v. 2a.]; hit bihovede ~ me, it was necessary for me (to do sth.); him bihoveth ~, etc., it is necessary, proper, or unavoidable for him (to do sth.), he should or ought, etc. [see also bihoven v. 2b.]; ~ help bihoveth, help is needed; him birde ~, ~ birde him, he of necessity had to (do sth.); (e) in proverbs.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1679 : No noþer nel be but nedes to wende.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.143 : Ȝif ȝe willeþ nedes stryve, abydeth þe dome of God Almyȝty.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)61a/b : In þe tyme of trauaile..þe childe meoueþ more strongliche þan tofore hond, þerfore nedis þe modir is I-bete & I-greued.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)83b/a : Of mete & drinke is greet bredinge of humours..and þerof comeþ nedis stoppinge of senewis.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)5869 : Fra þat time nedis had þai Do tua iornays apon a day.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)356 : Þai merualyd..How þat so ȝonge a chyld wald nedys Goddes werkes haue in welde.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)14/11 : Ȝe wolleþ needes knowe & deme in siche caases.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.616 : At the laste, as every thyng hath ende, She took hire leve, and nedes wolde wende.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.35 : Nedes they maken hem pore that forgoon tho rychesses.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)3 : Whanne euer knowyng and love ben stronge and parfite, þei wolen nedis haue outward good werkis hem folewing.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)9 : Thei not be so obstinat aȝens clerkis..for defaut of perceuyng whanne an argument procedith into his conclusion needis, and whanne he not so dooth but semeth oonli so do.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)510 : A mannys fader and modir ben to him nedis hise neiȝboris.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)143/28 : Wherfore folewiþ nedis þat þe seid comune foorme of x comaundementis is not of eny greet price or worþe.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)78/26 : The modre of this mayde..wolde nedis that this yong man schulde be dede for that offence and oftyn tymes sterid hir lorde ther to.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)169 b/a : Alle maner of woundis..ben not nedis deedly.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)38/5 : Yette wolde they nedis haue a kinge.
b
- 1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1131 : Se eorl & ealle þa heafed menn & þa muneces of þa mynstre flemden se oðer abbot Heanri ut of þa mynstre, hi scolden nedes on fif & twenti wintre ne biden hi næfre an god dæi.
- ?c1335 Lollai lollai (Hrl 913)2 : Nedis mostou wepe; hit was iȝarkid þe ȝore euer to lib in sorow.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)986 : Þe stede..fel doun ded..& when it was difallen so, Nedes a-fot he most go.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)40/468 : What ich wold aski haue y schold, & nedes þou most þi word hold.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1043 : It is so neiȝh niȝt, þat nedes mote ye parte.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2324 : If..I shal nedes haue oon of hem two As send me hym that moost desireth me.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.21 : Of alle londes riches þis lond hath nede to noon; Alle londes moot seche helpe nedes of þis allone.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.317 : Now shul ye vnderstonde what is confessioun and wheither it oghte nedes be doon or noon.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.257 : Hastow pite on pore men þat mote nedes borwe?
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.215 : Ho shal hit haue, The catel þat he kepeþ so..And ert so loth to leue þat leue shalt needes.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1965 : For I mot nedes, as ȝe wot, meue to-morne.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)5/6 : Ȝif hit may be schewide by Holy Writ, þat þe pope is lord of al temporalte, kynges & princes mot nedes be suget to þe pope.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)781 : The weddyng..nedes most vnthryve, Only for he his moder toke to wyve.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1709 : Nedes day departe hem moste soone.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deeds 4.20 : For we moten nedis speke tho thingis that we han sayn and herd.
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)2307 : Vppon ȝouis..þe dome, Ȝe muste nedys home come.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2688 : Thou must nedis assayed be.
- a1425 Mannyng HS (Dlw 24)p.42 : Þou must han nedis cloth & corn, & I provyde for þe be-forn.
- (1439) Doc.in Leach Educ.Chart.402 : Ther is so grete scarstee of maistres of Gramer, whereof..nane mowen be hade in your Universitees ouer those that nedes most ben occupied still there.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)451 : Thare thow nyghttes on nyghte, nedez moste þou lenge.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)62/7 : Whethir ye will or noon, at your deth ye moste nedis leve them.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)29 : Nedis þei mosten schewe outward..what þe herte meneþ.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)12.134 : Whanne the lot on hem þus gan falle, Thanne mosten thei forth nedis with Alle.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)174/5194 : Forto kepe it in remembraunce..y nedis mut Muse on my dreem.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)54/25 : The Erle endured myche, bot at the last he must nedes yeld hym, whedre he wold or noo.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)59/8 : He hath no grete wisdam þat sorowith..whan þei deye þat must nedis deye.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)21/19 : To ech such..beest..be ȝouun bi kynde a witt to knowe ech bodi which bi kynde schulde needis distroie his substaunce.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)210/30 : He was loth to be yoldyn but that he nedys muste.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1216/2 : Now I may no lenger suffir to endure, but nedis I muste deffende myselff.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)78b/a : If þou woldist enforse þee wiþ consolidatiuis to consounde sich a wounde or þan it were parfiȝtly y-mundified..nedis þer muste be quytture and corrupcioun in þe concauitees of þilke wounde.
- c1475 Brm.Abraham (Brm)228 : Sythyn that I must nedysse be ded, Ȝyt..Smyth but feve strokys at my hed.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)169a/b : Whanne we speken of a wounde, wheþir it be deedly or not, nedis we owen to vndirstonden þat þer be dewe gouernaile boþe of þe sirurgian & þe pacient.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)13/31 : Many diuerse inconuenientes nat able to be recouerid of very force must nedis falle.
c
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1169 : A man moot nedes loue maugree his heed.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.574 : A tale writen in the Bible..moste nedes be credible.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.650 : So mot it nedes faile in haste.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1163 : Thanne moste she nedes holden hire biheste, Or ellis he shal shame hire at the leeste.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)53b/b : Ȝif þe childe haue not dewe fedinge, he most nedis be ded bore bifore tyme.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1331 : Bi a haþel never so hyȝe he heldes to grounde, And so Nabugodenozar as he nedes moste.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)20.85 : The wiche barn mot neodes be bore of a mayde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1792 : As hym list, nedis it mote falle.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.245 : Þe wille of God mut nedis be good, licke to þe Fadir of heven.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.11.60 : Whanne it forletith to be oon, it moot nedys deien and corrumpen togidres.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)132/19 : May no man go by þe brigge..but þat needis he muste stye up by þre grees.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1293 : Best were..That ye youreself..shewyd hym pleynly youre sentence, For than he nedys must yeue credence.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)502 : Whoso wyl wyth þe Werld haue hys dwellynge..He muste nedys..be couetowse.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1403 : Through the grace of God allemyght Hyt droppeth oyle bothe day and nyght..Hit must be nedis a fair meracle.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)182 : His wille nedys fulfilled most be, And truly so is myn entent.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)46/89 : Goddys comaundement must nedys be done.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)563 : I wyll go do þat nedys must be don.
- a1500 Tax has tenet (Dgb 196)7 : Vengeaunce nedes most fall.
d
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.135 : Þan said Sir Henry, nedes burd him wende To France.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.397 : I my kynde holpe..at such a nede þer nedes helpe bihoueth.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)13/27 : As Moyses arered þe neddre in desert forto saue þe folk, also bihoued nedes þat he were heiȝed on cros þat alle þat leued in hym schulden be saued.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)14/17 : It bihoued nedes þat Jesus wex & þat he vnwex.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)31/28 : Schent war þo schrewes, and ailed vnsele, For at þe Neuil cros nedes bud þam knele.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1792 : It bihovede nedes me To don right as myn herte bad.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.3.43 : It ne byhoveth nat nedes that thinges betiden that ben ipurveied.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)63/5 : Iy bihouede nedis to be oonyd to þe heiȝþe of my nature of euerebeynge godheed.
- (a1440) Let.Coventry in EHR 55645 : Hym behoweth nedes make hym chevysshauns wyth his owne goodes.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)68/35 : Thare was so grete habundance of nedders..þat þam byhoued nedez trauelle armed.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)84/4 : It byhoues nedis be þat, als many goddes als ȝe wirchipe..als many tourmentez ȝe suffere.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)513/17 : Pausanias had wowndid Philip..þat hym burde nedis dye.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)1479 : Her behoved nedes dye; There laye none other remedye.
e
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)68/1473 : O nedes he sschal, þat nedes mot.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.352 : It is seid thus overal, That nedes mot that nede schal.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)344 : Who nedez schal þole, be not so þro.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)21 : He must nedys go that the deuell dryues.