- necessary
- 1
adjective
1 something that is necessary is what you need to have or need to do; essential: I'll leave it to you to make all the necessary arrangements.(+ for): Food is necessary for life. | it is necessary (for sb) to do sth: It's not necessary to wear a tie. | The doctor says it may be necessary for me to have an operation. | make it necessary (for sb) to do sth: The heavy rain made it necessary to close several roads. | is it really necessary to do sth? spoken (=used to complain about something that someone is doing): Is it really necessary to make all that noise! | if necessary (=if it is necessary):: I'll stay up all night, if necessary, to get it finished. | hardly necessary (=almost not necessary): Taking notes was hardly necessary - she had a brilliant memory.2 necessary connection/consequence etc a connection, result etc that must exist: the necessary connection between wage rates and the price of food3 a necessary evil something bad or unpleasant that you have to accept in order to achieve what you want: Mr Hurst regarded work as a necessary evil.2 noun1 the necessaries things that you need, such as food or money, especially for a journey2 do the necessary spoken to do what is necessary: Leave it to me - I'll do the necessary.
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.