different between imperative vs needful

English

Alternative forms

• imp., imper. (abbreviation, grammar)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin imper?t?vus.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?m?p??.?.t?v/

Adjective

imperative (comparative more imperative, superlative most imperative)

1. Essential; crucial; extremely important.
2. (grammar) Of, or relating to the imperative mood.
3. (computing theory) Having semantics that incorporates mutable variables.
   • Antonym: functional
4. Expressing a command; authoritatively or absolutely directive.

   • The suits of kings are imperative.

Translations

Noun

imperative (countable and uncountable, plural imperatives)

1. (uncountable, grammar) The grammatical mood expressing an order (see jussive). In English, the imperative form of a verb is the same as that of the bare infinitive.

   Synonym: imperative mood

   Coordinate terms: assertoric, interrogative

2. (countable, grammar) A verb in imperative mood.
3. (countable) An essential action, a must: something which is imperative.

Synonyms

• required

Derived terms

Translations

Italian

Adjective

imperative f pl

1. feminine plural of imperativo

Anagrams

• riempivate

Latin

Alternative forms

• inper?t?v?

Etymology

From imper?t?vus (“commanded”), from imper? (“command, order”), from im- (form of in) + par? (“prepare, arrange; intend”).

Adverb

imper?t?v? (not comparable)

1. In an imperative manner, imperatively.

Related terms

References

• imperative in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• imperative in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [impera?tive]

Noun

imperative n pl

1. indefinite plural of imperativ

English

Alternative forms

• nedefull, needfull

Etymology

From Middle English needeful, nedeful, from Old English n?odful (“necessary; earnest; zealous”). Equivalent to need +? -ful. Cognate with Dutch noodvol, German notvoll.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ni?df?l/
• Hyphenation: need?ful

Adjective

needful (comparative more needful, superlative most needful)

1. Needed; necessary; mandatory; requisite; indispensible.

   Antonym: needless

   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 5

     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, and he would have none of it.

2. (archaic) Needy; in need.
   • 1860, Union Society of Savannah, Minutes of the Union Society (page 114)

     […] where his active benevolence was ever found in cheerful co-operation for the cause of the humble & needful orphan […]

Derived terms

• needfully
• needfulness

Noun

needful (plural needfuls)

1. (slang) Ready money; wherewithal.
2. (India, chiefly archaic in other dialects) Anything necessary or requisite.

Usage notes

Commonly found in phrases such as "kindly do the needful", which occurs commonly in Indian English but is held as archaic in other dialects. Global interactions between English speakers have to some extent led to these phrases being seen as stereotypical of Indian English and parodied by speakers of other dialects.

Derived terms

• do the needful

Anagrams

• Neufeld