▪ I. must, n.1
(mʌst)
Also 3–4, 9 most, 4–7 muste, 5 moste, 7 moust.
[ad. L. must-um, orig. neut. (sc. vīnum) of mustus adj., new, fresh. Cf. OHG. (MHG. and mod.G.) most, OF. moust (F. moût), Sp., Pg., It. mosto.]
1. New wine; the juice of the grape either unfermented or before the fermentation is completed. Also new must.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. v. §2 Ne meaht þu win wringan on mide winter, þeah ðe wel lyste wearmes mustes. c 1205 Lay. 8723 Nes þer neouþer win ne must [c 1275 most]. a 1300 Cursor M. 18968 ‘Drunken,’ þai said, ‘o must ar þai.’ 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 368 May no drynke me moiste ne my thruste slake, Tyl þe vendage falle in þe vale of iose-phath, Þat I drynke riȝte ripe must [MS. R. most: 1393 C. text most] resureccio mortuorum. 1481 Caxton Myrr. ii. x. 89 The clustres of grapes ben so grete and so full of Muste that [etc.]. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Luke v. 73 Will put newe muste into old bottelles. 1671 Milton P.R. iv. 16 Or as a swarm of flies in vintage time, About the wine-press where sweet moust is pour'd, Beat off, returns as oft with humming sound. 1677 W. Harris tr. Lemery's Course Chem. 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 M. (1825) I. 213 We stopped at Mersenet..which afforded us a dish of boiled wheat, and some must of wine. 1813 Sir H. Davy Agric. Chem. iii. (1814) 130 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 Symonds Sk. Italy & Greece (1898) I. xi. 210 Men..are treading the red must into vats and tuns. |
| pl. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 150 As touching Musts or new wines. 1634 R. H. Salernes Regim. 73 Inconveniences that breed by drinking of new Wine or Musts. 1888 Pall Mall G. 23 Jan. 7/1 Musts which twenty years ago readily sold for from 80 to 90 pesetas per hectolitre now sell for 13 or 14 pesetas. |
b. transf. and fig.
| 1563 J. Man Musculus' Commonpl. 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 Blount Glossogr., Must,..any thing fresh or new. 1850 Neale Med. Hymns (1867) 115 From the Cross's pole of glory Flows the must of ancient story In the Church's winevat stored. 1865 Swinburne Rococo 40 The blood red must of pain. |
† c. in (the) must, on the must: said of wine while still in process of fermentation. Also fig. Obs.
| 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe i. 13 b, Wyne in muste or sowre. 1594 Plat Jewell-ho. ii. 16 Rhenish wine in the muste. 1634 Massinger Very Woman iii. v, 'Tis wine; I sure 'tis wine! excellent strong wine! I'th must I take it. a 1661 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. a 1700 Dryden Baucis & Philemon 111 The Wine..Still working in the Must, and lately press'd. |
† 2. a. Any juice or liquor undergoing or prepared for undergoing alcoholic fermentation. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Song Sol. viii. 2, I shal ȝyue thee drinken of spiced win, and of the must of my poumgarnetes [Vulg. mustum malorum]. 1708 J. Philips Cyder i. 5 The Must, of pallid Hue, declares the Soil Devoid of Spirit. |
b. dial. The pulp of apples or pears after the juice has been pressed out in making cider or perry.
| 1670 in Evelyn's Pomona, etc. (ed. 2) 63 To preserve the Must (which is the bruised Fruit) from straining through the Crib when they apply the Skrews. 1794 J. Clark Agric. Heref. 40 Drawing the stone on its edge..over the fruit in the trough, until it is reduced into a kind of paste, provincially must. 1897 Evesham Jrnl. 16 Jan. (E.D.D.), There can be no doubt about the must being highly acceptable in a winter of food scarcity [for cattle]. |
c. ‘The pulp of potatoes prepared for fermentation’ (Cent. Dict. 1890).
† 3. A variety of cider-apple. Obs.
| 1664 Beale in Evelyn Pomona, etc. 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 Mortimer Husb. (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 Rust. II. x. 37. |
4. attrib., as must-maker, must-making, must-tub, must-tun, must-vat; † must-month, September.
| 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. ii. iv. Columnes 404 In Must-Month [orig. au mois donne-vin], the Beam Stands equi-poiz'd in equi-poizing them [sc. day and night]. 1853 Ure Dict. Arts I. 700 A little red precipitate of mercury, when added to the must-tun, stopped the fermentation. 1862 M. B. Edwards John & I, I. xii. 254 Cider or most making. Ibid. 255 John looked at the geese-stuffers—I at the most makers. 1870 Auctioneer's Catal. in Miss Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk., Must-tub. [‘The tub into which the apple-pulp is put, in the process of cider-making.’] |
▪ II. † must, n.2 Sc. Obs.
Forms: 5 moist, 6–7 muist, 6, 9 must.
[a. OF. must (15th c. in pomme de must must-ball), var. of musc musk.]
a. Musk; also attrib. in must-ball, must-box. b. (See quot. 1808.)
| 1488 Inv. R. Wardrobe (1815) 5 Item, twa tuthpikis of gold, with a chenye, a perle & erepike, a moist ball of gold [etc.]. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. Prol. 148 Must, myr, aloes, or confectioun. a 1585 Montgomerie Flyting 15 Thy smell was sa fell, and stronger than muist. a 1693 M. Bruce Good News Evil T. (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. 1808 Jamieson, Must, an old term, applied by the vulgar to hair-powder, or flour used for this purpose. S. Perhaps it might anciently receive this name as being scented with musk, S. must. 1843 M. A. Richardson Local Hist. Table-bk. VI. 272 Their necks deep-pierc'd, with must abound. |
▪ III. must, n.3
(mʌst)
[? Back-formation from musty a.: cf. must v.]
Mustiness; mould.
| 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xiii. lxxviii. (1612) 322 By Rot, Must, Sowernes, Fruits, Corne, Wine good-Quallities forgo. 1693 Evelyn De la Quint. Compl. Gard. I. 88 A kind of Cellar, which is never without some Taste of Must. 1743 Lond. & Country Brew. iv. (ed. 2) 261 Water naturally breeds a Must, which is a Sort of Mushroom. 1778 W. H. Marshall Minutes Agric. 15 July an. 1777, I am in hopes that it will act as an antiputrescent, and preserve it from mould and must. 1827 Hood Ode to Melancholy 116 Like the sweet blossoms of the May, Whose fragrance ends in must. 1852 H. Mayhew in Visct. Ingestre Meliora Ser. i. 279 There was a smell of must and dry rot that told of damp and imperfect ventilation. 1855 Dickens Dorrit ii. x, The gloom and must and dust of the whole tenement were secret. 1867 J. Hogg Microsc. ii. i. 298 From this stage it readily passes to that of must and mildew. 1897 Literature 11 Dec. 233/2 His notes..savour of dryness and must. |
| fig. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. viii. xxxii, Such was his minde, tainted with idle must. 1869 Lynch Ch. & State 23 If you defile by the dust and must and rust of time the holiest pages of the Bible. |
▪ IV. must, n.4
The verb must used for the nonce as a noun in obvious applications.
| 1603 Dekker, etc. Grissil iv. ii, Must is for kings, And low obedience for low underlings. 1611 Beaum. & Fl. King & no King iv. iii, 1 Sw. I, this must be granted. 2 Sw. Still this must? 1 Sw. I say this must be granted. 2 Sw. I, give me the must again, brother, you palter. 1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass iii. iii. 209 Mer. You must. Eve. Must I? Doe you your musts, Sir, I'll doe mine. 1736 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. s.v. Away, Away with this must, aufer mihi oportet. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 680 There is no must in the case, but they may and ought to be forborne. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. iii. xxiii, In uttering these three terrible musts, Klesmer lifted up three long fingers in succession. 1885 Pall Mall G. 17 Jan. 1/1 The absolute Must of Duty and of Right. |
b. Something that must be done, possessed, considered, etc.; a necessity. orig. U.S.
| 1892 Dialect Notes I. 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. 1941 Amer. Speech XVI. 67/1 The dirndl, a dress which was a ‘must’ for every woman in 1937. 1948 ‘J. Tey’ Franchise Affair xxi. 239 The Feathers—one of the ‘musts’ of American visitors to Britain—was..famous. 1951 ‘J. Wyndham’ Day of Triffids v. 103 It was close on midnight when we had finished adding our own secondary wants to the list of musts. 1957 R. Hoggart Uses of Literacy x. 250 These valuable books are musts for you. 1960 House & Garden Mar. 136 Nature in Schweppshire is a top must, is actively encouraged. 1973 Guardian 30 Mar. 2/4 A film and a song made the Trevi Fountain a ‘must’ for tourists. |
c. attrib. and Comb. Essential, mandatory, obligatory. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 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 XII. 8 Roosevelt..was called..The New Deal Caesar who specialized in must-legislation. 1939 Canadian Forum June 94/2 This is a must book. 1941 Britannia & Eve Sept. 4/1 They had come to accept the fact that mails and government-priority ‘must’ passengers monopolised the flying boats. 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. 1959 New Statesman 10 Jan. 32/2 A struggle of some interest..is now taking place among those women's periodicals..which are still ‘must-reading’ for debutantes with any claim to literacy. 1973 Black World May 69/2 His forthcoming paper is a ‘must-read’. |
▪ V. † must, a.1 Obs. rare.
Forms: 5 moste, 6 must.
[ad. L. (vīnum) must-um: see must n.1]
Of wine: New, unfermented.
| c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxi. 337 (Cambr. MS.) Gyf me A draught of thi wyne moste. 1559 Morwyng Evonym. 383 Siething the medicines with the wyne whyle it is must and new. |
▪ VI. † must, a.2 rare—1.
[Cf. musty a.]
? Sour.
| 1547 Boorde Brev. Health ccclxxxi. 122 His stomake is turned and must, or els is redy to perbreake or to vomyt. |
▪ VII. must, a.3 and n.5
(mʌst)
Also musth (moost).
[a. Urdū mast, a. Pers. mast lit. ‘intoxicated’.]
A. adj. Applied to male animals, as elephants and camels, in a state of dangerous frenzy to which they are subject at irregular intervals. Phr. to go must.
| 1871 Forsyth Highl. India 287 She is not subject to the danger of becoming ‘must’ and uncontrollable, as male elephants do periodically after a certain age. 1887 Kipling Departm. Ditties (1888) 21 The Commissariat hathee had—forgive the rhyme—gone musth. 1895 B. M. Croker Village Tales (1896) 89 A ‘must’ elephant. |
| transf. 1893 Sat. Rev. 2 Dec. 611 Mr. Labouchere ‘went must’ on the Matabele business. |
B. n.
1. The condition or state of being ‘must’.
| 1878 J. Gibson in Encycl. Brit. VIII. 124/1 An elephant in ‘must’, as this frenzied condition is termed, is regarded as the most dangerous of animals. 1901 Wide World Mag. VIII. 194/1 A huge, tuskless elephant, in a state of must or periodical madness. 1959 M. Pugh Chancer 35 He suffered from the recurring nightmare that his cameras would go on musth and stampede out of the studios at the second he was due on the air. 1972 New York 1 May 10/3 In twenty seconds she can go from emotional neutral to the fury of an elephant in musth. 1973 Nature 2 Nov. 17/2 The madness of the animal ‘on musth’ causes other elephants to avoid him. |
| attrib. 1882 Times Law Rep. 8 Mar., After Elephants arrived at the age of 21 they became dangerous at certain seasons, called ‘Must’ or ‘Moost Season’. 1890 Baker Wild Beasts I. 46 The approach of the ‘must’ period is..perceived by a peculiar exudation of an oily nature. |
2. ‘An elephant in must’.
| In recent Dicts. |
▪ VIII. must, v.1
(mʌst)
Forms: 1 móste, 2–6 moste, muste, 3–6 most, 4 mast, 5 moost, 6 Sc. moist, 3– must. 2nd sing. 1 móstes, móstest, 2–3 mostes, 2–5 mostest, 5 mustest, 5– must. pl. 1 móstan, -on, -un, 4–5 moston, 3–5 mosten, 4–5 mostyn, mustyn, 6 musten, 3–5 most(e, 3– must.
[OE. móste, pl. móston, subj. mósten, pa. tense of mót pret.-pres., mote v.]
An auxiliary of predication, followed by the infinitive (without to).
† I. The past tense of mote v. Obs.
1. In the sense of mote v. 1, expressing permission or possibility. a. Past ind. = might, was able or permitted to, could. Chiefly with negative expressed or implied.
| Beowulf 3100 Þenden he burhwelan brucan moste. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xliv. (Z.) 264 Tibi licuit ðu mostest. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 9 Ȝef þu sungedest toward þine drihtene and me hit mihte witen, nouþer gold ne seoluer no moste gan for þe. c 1225 Ancr. R. 260 Of al þe brode eorðe ne moste he habben a grot, forte deien uppon. c 1275 XI Pains of Hell 190 in O.E. Misc. 152 For heo nolden beon ischriven Þe hwile þat hi mosten lyuen. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 352/243 Þo þis bodi ne moste beo ifounde in Engelonde. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 1004 They wer a-cheked bothe two And neyther of hem most out goo. ? a 1400 Arthur 570 Mordred fly toward Londoun, He most not come in þe toun. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 17535 He..bad hem mak Be-twene hem of Grece—iff thei moste—A fynal pes, what-so it coste. |
b. Past subj., in petitions, final clauses, wishes, and the like = might, should, might be permitted to.
Occas. with omission of inf. of vb. of motion (cf. 8 a).
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. v. ix. 232 And eft wæron biddende þæt Metellus to Rome moste. a 900 Cynewulf Crist 1388 Þæt ðu mostes wealdan worulde ᵹesceaftum. c 1205 Lay. 19880 He bad þe to fultume þene milde godes sune, þat þu mostes wel don. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2624 Iakabeð wente bliðe agen, ðat ȝhe ðe cildes [MS. gildes] fostre muste ben. c 1305 St. Andrew 75 in E.E.P. (1862) 100 Hail beo þu, swete Rode, he seide: swettest of alle treo Þat þu wiþ mie louerdes lymes ihalewed mostest beo. c 1350 Will. Palerne 3978 Þe king bisouȝt þe quene,..þat he most se his sone. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. viii. 23 And for þei sworen bi heore soule—‘so God hem moste helpe!’—Aȝeyn heore clene Concience, heore catel to sulle. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 494 Mekely she to the sergeant preyde..That she moste kisse hire child er þat it deyde. c 1400 Brut cxii. 114 If ȝe wolde consent and grant þat y most her haue. |
2. In the sense of mote v. 2, expressing necessity or obligation. a. Past ind. = had to, was obliged to, it was necessary that (I) should.
Occas. with omission of inf. of vb. of motion (cf. 8 a).
| Beowulf 1939 Þæt hit sceadenmæl scyran moste, cwealmbealu cyðan. a 1000 Fallen Angels 108 ær ic moste in ðeossum atolan æðele ᵹebidan. c 1205 Lay. 9904 Þider him come sonde ut of þissen londe þæt..he mosten [sic] cume sone to his kine-dome. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1564 Bicom to þet te king, Maxence, moste fearen. a 1300 Cursor M. 2249 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. a 1300 Vox & Wolf 85 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 60 A-doun he moste, he wes therinne. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1052 Þanne seiȝ þei no socour but sunder þanne þei moste. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame i. 187 And seyde he most vnto Itayle. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 119 The day was wonder hot withalle, And such a thurst was on him falle, That he moste owther deie or drinke. 1450 in Four C. Eng. Lett. (1880) 4 And they seyd he most speke with here master. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 33 How dardanus slew his broder iasius by trayson wherfore he moste departe out of the contre. |
b. Past subj. = should or would be obliged to.., would of necessity{ddd}
| c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 30, I moste been a Rethor excellent That koude hise colours longynge for that Art If he sholde hire discryuen euery part. Ibid. 434 For wel she wiste The ffaukon moste fallen fro the twiste, Whan þat it swowned next for lakke of blood. |
II. Used as a pres. tense, and hence (under certain conditions) as a past tense corresponding to this.
The use as a present arose from the practice of employing the past subj. as a moderate, cautious, or polite substitute for the present indicative. The modern use as a past tense coincides with sense 2, but app. does not historically descend from it, exc. that the preterital use in must needs (see need, needs advs.) may perhaps represent a continuous survival.
3. a. Equivalent to the older mote v. 2, 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 1300 Cursor M. 5018 Yee most [Gött. must] yow hast on your fare. a 1300 K. Horn (Laud MS.) 1254 Reymyld, qwad horn, ich moste wende To þe wodes hende. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 440 Oon of vs two moste bowen doutelees And sith a man is moore resonable Than wooman is, ye moste ben suffrable. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 2955 Consydre how thow art ysett Vnder a-nother, and soget To hym, and mvstest hym obeye. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Athan. Creed, He therefore that will bee saued: must thus thinke of the trinitie. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 56 The Thracians when they must pass ouer frosen streames, sende out theyr Wolues. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iii. ii. 45 What are you gone againe, you must be watcht ere you be made tame, must you? 1738 Swift Pol. Conversat. Wks. VI. 253 Tom, you must go with us to Lady Smart's to Breakfast. 1768 Bickerstaff Padlock i. ii. (1824) 4 Diego (Unseen, puts on a large padlock) That must do till I get a larger. 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 16/1 The books must be produced, as we cannot receive parole evidence of their contents. 1799 E. Du Bois Piece Family Biog. III. 203 Well, since it seems that it must be so, I do acquiesce in it. 1810 Syd. Smith Wks. (1850) 188/1 It must be remembered, that [etc.]. 1891 Law Times XC. 441/2 The judges criticise Parliament, and they in their turn must accept criticism upon their order. |
b. Used to express a fixed or certain futurity. I must = I am fated or certain to{ddd}, I shall certainly or inevitably...
| a 1400–50 Alexander 707 Thik & thraly am I thrett & thole must I sone Þe slauughter of my awne sonn. 1526 Tindale John iii. 30 He must increace: and I muste decreace. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iv. i. 48, I heare thou must, and nothing may prorogue it, On Thursday next be married to this Countie. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 372 Crowds of dead, that never must return To their lov'd Hives. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 28 Apr. i, My wooll will suffer for want of grace, and I must be a loser on all sides. 1892 Ld. Esher in Law Times Rep. LXVII. 211/1 The sewage matter.. goes along a sewer which must carry it into the stream, unless it is intercepted on the way. |
c. In expressions like I must say = I cannot help saying. Also in explanatory clauses, as you must know or understand = you ought to be informed, I would have you know. if you must know: used to introduce information provided against the judgement or inclination of the speaker.
| 1563–83 Foxe A. & M. 988/1 You must vnderstand, through the Citie of Rome, runneth a famous Riuer, called Tiber. 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 111, I must saye, that your taste differeth much from mine. 1599 Queen Elizabeth Let. in Moryson Itin. (1617) ii. 40 We must therefore let you know, that as it cannot be ignorance, so it cannot be want of meanes. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 40, ¶1, I must allow, that there are very noble Tragedies, which have been framed upon the other Plan. 1713 ― Guard. No. 97 ¶1 Now you must know, sir, my face is as white as chalk. 1721 Amherst Terræ Fil. No. 34 (1754) 181 He..gave me a glass of each to taste; which, I must say, was excellent ale indeed. [1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxix, in Tales My Landlord 2nd ser. III. iv. 104 He's in Gaffer Gabblewood's wheat⁓close, an ye maun ken.] 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. II. x. 193 Well, if you must know, I never saw her before yesterday. 1871 M. Arnold Friendship's Garland 169 The Morning Star, I must say, does its duty nobly. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) II. 49, I must beg to be absolved from the promise. 1885 Boy's Own Paper 28 Mar. 403/2 Well, if you must know, it's our boat. 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. 1927 C. Asquith Black Cap 250 ‘If you must know,’ she had said, ‘well, you've got dirty nails, haven't you? Look.’ 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. |
d. As a past tense: Was obliged, had to; it was necessary that (I, he, it, etc.) should.
In modern use 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. To say ‘I must go to London yesterday’ would now be a ludicrous blunder.
| 1691 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. 1720 Welton Suffer. 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. 1781 C. Johnston Hist. J. Juniper II. 13 He said he must e'en be content to stay where he was. 1785 Cowper Let. to Newton 27 Aug., 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 Wordsw. Sonn., ‘Once did She hold’ 8 She was a Maiden City, bright and free;..And, when She took unto herself a Mate, She must espouse the everlasting Sea. 1840 Carlyle Heroes v. (1841) 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 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. Ibid. v. 619 Yet a few hours of gloomy seclusion, and he must die a violent and shameful death. 1894 J. T. Fowler Adamnan Introd. 74 He could not bear to be idle..he must always be doing something. |
e. As a past or historical present tense, must is sometimes used satirically or indignantly with reference to some foolish or annoying action or some untoward event. Now colloq.
| 1390 Gower Conf. II. 145 Whan that the lord comth hom ayein, The janglere moste somwhat sein. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. iii. 212 And I must be from thence? My wife kil'd too? 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? |
4. In the first person, must often expresses an insistent demand or a firm resolve on the part of the speaker. Hence also in the second and third persons, rendering sentiments imputed to others.
| a 1425 Cursor M. 6569 (Trin.) Who made þis calf I most [other texts I wald] him ken. 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) II. 98 Nowe Carles are nat content with one grange Nore one ferme place, such is theyr insolence They must haue many. 1530 Palsgr. 642/2, I muste be prayed..to do a thynge, je me veulx prier. 1673 Dryden Marr. à-la-Mode iv. iii. 60, I must, and will go. 1798 J. Baillie Tryal v. i. Softly, Mariane; let us leave this room, if you must laugh, for he will overhear you. 1827 Wordsw. 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. |
5. As must has no pa. pple., the need of a past conditional has been supplied by placing the principal verb in the perfect infinitive. Thus I must have seen it = I should (in the case supposed) necessarily have seen it; I must have done it = I should have had to do it, or have been obliged to do it.
| c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxx. 180 Bot, sir, I tell you before, had domysday oght tarid, We must haue biggid hell more, the warld is so warid. 1526 Tindale Heb. xii. 20 Yf a beast had touched the mountayne, hit must have bene stoned. 1621 Donne Serm. xv. (1640) I. 149 A Sheriffe that should burne him, who were condemned to be hanged, were a murderer, though that man must have dyed. 1695 Dryden Parallel Poetry & Painting Ess. (ed. Ker) II. 146 Whereas if I had chosen a noon-day light for them, somewhat must have been discovered which would rather have moved our hatred than our pity. 1714 Swift Pres. St. Affairs Wks. 1755 II. i. 212 Had this point been steadily pursued..there must probably have been an end of faction. 1815 Jane Austen Emma vii, 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. 1896 Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 616/1 If he had looked he must have seen the light of the approaching train. 1896 F. S. Boas Shaks. & Predec. 384 note, Had it [Hamlet] been in existence..before 1598, it must have been mentioned by Meres. |
6. a. Expressing the inferred or presumed certainty of a fact; either (with present inf.) relating to the present time, as in you must be aware of this = I cannot doubt that you are aware of this; or (with perfect inf.) relating to the past, as in he must have done it = it is to be concluded that he did it.
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.
| 1652 Evelyn Ess. 1st Bk. Lucretius (1656) 164 The continent must be incorporeal, the contained corporeal. 1673 Dryden Marr.-à-la-Mode i. i. 8 Your friend? then he must needs be of much merit. 1762 Goldsm. Cit. W. lxxi, This must have been a sad shock to the poor disconsolate parent. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1775) I. 61 (Pulse), I am sure you must have one of the best pulses of any woman in the world. 1768 Goldsm. Good-n. Man iii. (ad fin.), But, come, the letter I wait for must be almost finished. 1800 Wordsw. Hart-leap Well 141 What thoughts must through the creature's brain have past! 1809 Malkin Gil Blas iv. x. ¶8 Such a house must belong to some family above the common. 1833 Coleridge Table-t. 4 Jan., 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! 1887 Hall Caine Coleridge 123 Coleridge must have earned a substantial sum by these lectures. 1891 E. Peacock N. Brendon I. 54 He must be an old man. 1903 Morley Gladstone I. Pref. Note, Between two and three hundred thousand written papers of one sort or another must have passed under my view. |
b. In oblique past tense.
| 1726 Swift Gulliver iv. iii, He replied, That I must needs be mistaken. Ibid., After which he said, it was plain I must be a perfect Yahoo. 1834 Tait's Mag. I. 13/1 All was shut up in darkness, and must have been so for some hours. |
† c. Formerly must be was occas. used for must have been = presumably was. Obs.
| 1733 Tull Horse-hoeing Husb. xv. 203 Whilst the Roman Empire was in its Glory..its Price must be then very high. |
7. In must not (whether present or pa. tense) the negative, though formally belonging to the auxiliary, has the same effect as if it belonged to the following infinitive. I must not = I am not allowed to, I am obliged not to, etc. (sometimes, I will not permit myself to).
The coincidence with the negative use of sense 1 and of mote v. 1 is merely accidental.
| 1583 Fulke Defense xxii. 512 We must not..drawe places of Scripture vnto Christ, which by the holy Ghost had an other meaning. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iii. i. 106 York. And therefore is he idle? Glo. O my faire Cousin, I must not say so. 1601 ― All's Well ii. v. 64 You must not meruaile Helen at my course. 1606 ― Ant. & Cl. i. iv. 10, I must not thinke There are, euils enow to darken all his goodnesse. 1607 ― Cor. i. i. 43 You must in no way say he is couetous. 1741 Richardson Pamela II. 362, I will love you dearly; but I mustn't love my Uncle. Why so? said he. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 102 You must not enter any door of the lower story..for there our domestics inhabit. 1832 Tennyson Death of Old Year 6 Old year, you must not die;..Old year, you shall not die. 1882 ‘Leslie 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. |
8. Elliptical uses. a. With ellipsis of a verb of motion. Now arch.
| c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 184 Allas vn to the Barbre nacion I moste goon. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xviii. 225 A medecine moste þer-to, þat myghte amende þe prelates. c 1425 Cast. Persev. 3038 in Macro Plays 167 For, wrechyd sowle, þou muste to helle. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iii. v. 2 My Emperor hath wrote, I must from hence. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 60 With Poëts..out it must whatsoever they have conceived. 1720 [see 3 d]. 1731 Swift To Gay, His work is done, the minister must out. 1884 Tennyson Becket iii. ii, 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. |
b. With ellipsis of infinitive to be supplied from the context.
Freq. in impers. phrases with needs: see needs adv. d.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1223 Þo was al þe court anuyd, as he moste nede. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1691 Then meuyt to his mynde, as yt most nede, þat [etc.]. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. ii. 2 Pro. Haue patience, gentle Iulia. Iul. I must where is no remedy. 1604 [see needs adv. d]. 1607 Shakes. Cor. iii. ii. 97 Com. I thinke 'twill serue. if he can thereto frame his spirit. Volum. He must, and will. 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables cclxxii. 238 'Tis Good..to run no more Risque of the Main Chance, then of Necessity Must. 1712 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 21 Dec., I dined with Lord Treasurer, and must again to-morrow. 1734, 1821, 1871 [see needs adv. d]. 1838 J. P. Kennedy Rob of the Bowl ix. (1866) 77 Indeed, I must not and cannot, playmates. 1863 Emerson Voluntaries iii. 15 When Duty whispers low, Thou must, The youth replies, I can. 1876 Tennyson Harold v. i, 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. 1886 [see drive v. B. 1 b]. |
9. dial. In questions = may, shall. Also if I must = if I may. Cf. mote v. 1.
| a 1796 Pegge Derbicisms (E.D.S.) 46 (s.v. Mun), Also, must for may, as, ‘I will go if I must’. 1889 N.W. Linc. Gloss. s.v., Must I goä oot wi' Jaane, muther; we'll be back e' time to get teä ready. 1896 Hetton-le-Hole Gloss. s.v., ‘Would you like your milk to drink, Mr. P.?’ ‘Yes, please’. ‘Must I bring you't, then?’ |
† III. 10. impers. (with personal object.) It behoves (or behoved), it is (or was) necessary for (a person) to. [Cf. Fr. il me faut; also ME. me oughte, ought v.]
| a 1300 Cursor M. 10671 In his seruis me most ai lend Bituixand to mi liues end. c 1350 Ipomadon 8275 (Kölbing) My lyff now muste me tyne. Ibid. 8409 Ipomadon saw, that nedys hym moste. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 393 Vs moste putte oure good in auenture. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxiv. 112 He..feled wele..þat him most nedez dye þeroff. c 1440 Jacob's Well 211 Ȝif þou fynde a thyng þat is noȝt þin, þe muste restore it. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 27 For of force me muste obeye the kyng. |
▪ IX. must, v.2 Obs. exc. dial.
[? Back-formation from musty.]
1. intr. ‘To grow mouldy’ (J.) or ‘musty’; to contract a musty or sour smell.
| 1530 Palsgr. 642/2, I muste as breed dothe, je moysys. Ibid., I muste or foyste, as a vessel dothe, je moysis. 1577 Harrison England ii. xviii. (1877) i. 299 Till it [the corn] must and putrifie. 1648 Gage West Ind. xviii. 135 The Wheat will not keep long without musting and breeding a worm called Gurgojo. 1707 Mortimer Husb. 103 In wet Weather it [sc. barley] will be inclined to sprout or must. 1769 Mrs. Raffald Eng. Housekpr. (1778) 103 Dry it often with a cloth to keep it from musting. 1888 Berksh. Gloss., Them pots o' jam be beginnin' to must. |
2. trans. ‘To mould; to make mouldy’ (J.) rare.
| 1707 Mortimer Husb. 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. |
▪ X. † must, v.3 Sc. Obs.
Also 8–9 muist, 9 moust.
[f. must n.2]
trans. To powder with ‘must’ or hair-powder.
| 1751 H. Blyde Contract 4 Sae I..muisted my head, and made ready a clean. 1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun iii. xxiii. [iv. xix], Tho' muisted is your carrot pash. 1816 Scott Antiq. x, Would ye creesh his bonny brown hair wi' your nasty ulyie, and then moust it like the auld minister's wig? |
▪ XI. must, v.4 Anglo-Indian.
(mʌst)
[f. must a.3]
intr. To ‘go must’.
| 1893 Kipling Many Invent., My Lord Elephant 43 ‘As when one o' they native king's elephants musted last June.’ |