0 to have to have something, or to want something very much: --
[ + past participle ] She needs her hair washed.
[ + -ing verb ] This room needs cleaning.
informal I don't need all this hassle.
[ + obj + to infinitive ] I need you to help me choose an outfit.
[ + to infinitive ] I need to go to the toilet.
1 to have (to): --
You needn't have worried about the dinner - it was delicious!
You needn't have washed all those dishes, you know - I'd have done them myself when I got home.
"Did you ask Sophia to help?" "I didn't need to - I managed perfectly well on my own."
I gave her some extra money - I know I didn't need to but I thought it would be kind.
It's a wonderful way of getting to see Italy, and it needn't cost very much.
Nothing need be done about this till next week.
[ + infinitive without to ] I don't think we need ask him.
There needs to be more effort from everyone.
[ + to infinitive ] He needs to lose some weight.
2 the state of having to have something that you do not have, especially something that you must have so that you can have a satisfactory life: --
I understand why she was angry, but there was no need to be so nasty to him.
There's no need to buy more food - there's plenty in the fridge.
I don't think there's any need for all of us to attend the meeting.
If need/needs be (= if necessary), we can take a second car to fit everyone in.
Help yourself to stationery as the need arises.
You just hope that the money goes to those who are most in need.
[ + to infinitive ] He seems to have a desperate need to be loved by everyone.
There's a growing need for cheap housing in the larger cities.
Are you in need of help?
3 to be necessary to have something, or to want something very much: --
4 to have to take an action: --
[ + to infinitive ] As it turned out, I didn’t need to buy any extra material (= I did it, although I didn’t have to).
Nothing need be done about this before next week.
[ + to infinitive ] I need to do some shopping on my way home.
[ + to infinitive ] Before we make a decision, we need to consider our options.
[ + to infinitive ] He needs to lose weight.
5 something that you must or should have, or the lack of this: --
They’re in need of help.
The money will go to those who are most in need.
[ + to infinitive ] There’s no need to buy any more food.
[ + to infinitive ] a desperate need to be loved
[ + to infinitive ] I don’t think there’s any need to worry.
The intentions of policy thus need to be seen against the plans rather than the outcomes.
The 50 rai permitting threshold therefore needs to be reduced.
This avoids the need for a local refinement of the trajectory.
Static typing is done as soon as needed, but not before.
But this need not, and generally will not, be the case.
That may be so, but it needs showing.
You need action on the ground to accompany that discourse.
First we need three lemmas which will be proved in the following section.
