Basic+ Word of the Day: need

need (verb) past tense: needed

I need new shoes.

If you need something, it means that you have to have it. If you don’t have it, it will be bad for you.

• Our bodies need water.

If you need something, it can also mean that you are going to use something, or that you could use something.

• Do you need the car today?
• Do you need any help with that?

Or it can mean that it is important for you to have something.

• He needs new shoes.

If you need to do something, it means that you have to do it, or you should do it.

• I need to finish my homework.

In pop culture

Do you know the song “I Need a Dollar” by Aloe Blacc? It’s about a man who has no money and has to live on the streets. Listen for these words in the song: “And if I share with you my story, would you share your dollar with me?”

There are other meanings of need.