needful — needful, necessary, requisite, indispensable, essential are comparable when meaning urgently required. Needful carries the weakest suggestion of urgency, but it applies to something that is required to supply a want or to fulfill a need {forts,… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Needful — Need ful (n[=e]d f[.u]l), a. 1. Full of need; in need or want; needy; distressing. [Archaic] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] The needful time of trouble. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [1913 Webster] 2. Necessary for supply or relief; requisite. [1913 Webster] All… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
needful — (adj.) late 12c., niedfulle, needy, from NEED (Cf. need) (n.) + FUL (Cf. ful). Meaning characterized by need is from mid 13c.; meaning indispensable is from mid 14c.; noun meaning what is necessary is from 1709. Colloquial sense of cash is… … Etymology dictionary
needful — ► ADJECTIVE 1) formal necessary; requisite. 2) archaic needy. ► NOUN (the needful) informal ▪ what is necessary … English terms dictionary
needful — index destitute, essential (required), exigent, imperative, integral, poor (underprivileged), requisite … Law dictionary
needful — [nēd′fəl] adj. 1. necessary; needed; required 2. Archaic needy needfully adv. needfulness n … English World dictionary
needful — needfully, adv. needfulness, n. /need feuhl/, adj. 1. necessary or required: needful supplies. 2. needy. n. 3. the needful, Slang. money, esp. immediately available cash: They haven t the needful for a car right now. [1125 75; ME; se … Universalium
needful — [[t]ni͟ːdfʊl[/t]] ADJ GRADED Needful means necessary. [OLD FASHIONED] The section of society most needful of such guidance is the young male. ...stoppages for needful rest and recreation. Syn: required … English dictionary
needful — adjective Needed, necessary, mandatory. So I went to keep house with him at the Why Not? and my aunt sent down my bag of clothes, and would have made over to Elzevir the pittance that my father left for my keep, but he said it was not needful,… … Wiktionary
needful — Inglish (Indian English) Dictionary Whatever is needed to be done (I will do the needful) … English dialects glossary
needful — need|ful [ˈni:dfəl] adj old use necessary ▪ needful expenditure … Dictionary of contemporary English
