好词典

necessity

UK //nɪˈsesəti//US //nəˈsesəti//

词源

源自拉丁语 'necessitas',意为'不可避免的事情',通过古法语 'necessité' 进入英语。词根 'necesse' 表示'不可避免的'或'强制的'。

noun

❶ 指某事物是必需的或不可避免的,强调没有它就无法正常运作或生存。常用于描述基本需求或客观要求。

“Food and water are basic necessities of life.”

(食物和水是生活的基本必需品。)

“The new law recognizes healthcare as a necessity.”

(新法律承认医疗保健是必需品。)

❶ 表示某种情况或行动是必然的或不可避免的,常用于描述逻辑或自然规律导致的结果。

“The necessity of wearing masks during the pandemic is clear.”

(疫情期间戴口罩的必要性显而易见。)

“He acted out of necessity, not choice.”

(他的行为是出于必要性,而非选择。)

同义词:essential, requirement, must, prerequisite, indispensability

常见短语

of necessity — 表示由于客观情况不得不做某事,强调被迫性或不可避免性。

“The store had to close of necessity during the storm.”

(由于暴风雨,商店不得不关门。)

make a virtue of necessity — 指在不得不做某事的情况下,尽量从中获得好处或表现得积极。

“After his injury, he made a virtue of necessity by learning to paint with his left hand.”

(受伤后,他不得已学会用左手绘画,反而将此变成了优势。)