must
must Lexical Profile
must Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To be obliged, required, or compelled to do something (used as a modal auxiliary).
"All passengers must present a valid passport before boarding the international flight."
To be logically certain, highly probable, or inevitably true based on available evidence (used as a modal auxiliary).
"You must be exhausted after driving through the night."
To be strongly advised, urged, or recommended to do something (used as a modal auxiliary).
"You must visit the botanical gardens when you are in town this spring."
• noun
Something that should not be overlooked or missed; an absolute necessity or essential requirement.
"Comfortable walking shoes are a must when touring the ancient ruins."
Freshly pressed fruit juice, particularly grape juice containing the skins, seeds, and stems, before or during fermentation into wine.
"The winemaker monitored the temperature of the fermenting grape must in the vats."
Dampness, mold, or a stale, moldy smell or taste.
"A faint scent of must lingered in the unopened cellar."
A periodic condition in bull elephants and certain other large mammals, characterized by highly aggressive behavior and a surge in reproductive hormones (also spelled musth).
"Rangers kept a safe distance from the bull elephant while he was in must."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a defective modal verb, 'must' lacks an infinitive, participles, and a distinct past tense form; in past or future contexts, 'had to' or 'will have to' is substituted.
• Rhymes for must
Word Origin & Etymology
The modal verb derives from Old English 'moste', the past tense of 'motan' (to be allowed or obliged to). The winemaking noun comes independently from Old English 'must', borrowed from Latin 'mustum' (new or unfermented wine).