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ty; necessarily; indispensably; -- often with must, and equivalent to of need. A man must needs love mauger his head. Chaucer. And he must needs go through Samaria. John iv. 4. He would needs know the cause of his reulse. Sir J. Davies.

Of necessity. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Of necessity. [Obs.] Drayton.

modation, conformity, relation, or proportion to; to correspond to; to suit. Weapons must needs be dangerous things, if they answered the bulk of so prodigious a person. Swift.

r Christianity. It is not my intention to make an apology for my poem; some will think it needs no excuse, and others will receive none. Dryden.

; hence, a tavern sign, and symbolically, the tavern itself. If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 't is true that a good play needs no epilogue. Shak.

Of or pertaining to the head. [Obs.] Needs must the Serpent now his capital bruise Expect with mortal pain. Milton.

st To set a gloss on . . . hollow welcomes . . . But where there is true friendship there needs none. Shak. Al ceremonies are in themselves very silly things; but yet a man of the world should know them. Chesterfield.

; the king, queen, or knave of playing cards. "`I am a coat card indeed.' `Then thou must needs be a knave, for thou art neither king nor queen.'" Rowley. -- Coat link, a pair of buttons or studs joined by a link, to hold together the lappels of a double-breasted coat; or a button with a loop for a single-breasted coa…

ever gave it him. Send for him hither, And let him confess a truth. Shak. As I confess it needs must be. Tennyson. As an actor confessed without rival to shine. Goldsmith.

countries cannot change my state. Stirling. Many a famous realm And country, whereof here needs no account Milton.

re the mind; presentation. The influence of princes upon the dispositions of their courts needs not the deposition of their examples, since it hath the authority of a known principle. W. Montagu.

e; a flattish-topped hill; -- usually in the plural. Hills afford prospects, as they must needs acknowledge who have been on the downs of Sussex. Ray. She went by dale, and she went by down. Tennyson.

dusk. [Archaic] After the sun is up, that shadow which dusketh the light of the moon must needs be under the earth. Holland.

Not coincident as to motive or end. His own ends, which must needs be often eccentric to those of his master. Bacon.

Beforehand with one's needs, or having resources in advance of one's necessities; in easy circumstances; as, a forehanded farmer. [U.S.]

n; to levy; to inflict; as, to impose a toll or tribute. What fates impose, that men must needs abide. Shak. Death is the penalty imposed. Milton. Thou on the deep imposest nobler laws. Waller.

Recital or performance a second time; repetition. Bacon. What needs this iteration, woman Shak.

d as the judge of all. In judgments between rich and poor, consider not what the poor man needs, but what is his own. Jer. Taylor. Most heartily I do beseech the court To give the judgment. Shak.

knight, or of knights as a class; hence, chivalry. "O shame to knighthood." Shak. If you needs must write, write Cæsar's praise; You 'll gain at least a knighthood, or the bays. Pope.