necessary


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Related to necessary: Necessary and sufficient

deem it necessary

To determine that something is necessary. I didn't deem it necessary to give the boys detention because having their shirts untucked isn't a very serious infraction. Mother, why do you always deem it necessary to meddle in my business? I didn't deem it necessary to shovel the sidewalk for that little bit of snow.
See also: deem, necessary

deem it to be necessary

To determine that something is necessary. I didn't deem it to be necessary to give the boys detention because having their shirts untucked isn't a very serious infraction. Mother, why do you always deem it necessary to be to meddle in my business? I didn't deem it to be necessary to shovel the sidewalk for that little bit of snow.
See also: deem, necessary, to

deem that it is necessary

To determine that something is necessary. I deemed that it was it necessary to give the boys detention because they kept disrupting my class. Mother, why do you always deem that it is necessary to meddle in my business? I didn't deem that it was necessary to shovel the sidewalk for that little bit of snow.
See also: deem, necessary, that

if God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him

proverb A sentiment expressed by 18th-century French philosopher Voltaire that emphasizes the human need to believe in a divine being. People can't help it—they need something bigger than themselves to believe in, so if God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him. A: "I just don't understand atheists." B: "Me neither. I feel like Voltaire got it right when he said, 'If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him.'" If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him, to give some sort of order and meaning to the chaos of life.
See also: did, god, if, invent, necessary, not, to

necessary evil

Something bad that must exist or occur in order for something good to happen. These days, student loans are a necessary evil in order to get an education that leads to a well-paying job. Some view dictators as a necessary evil who keep the region stable by suppressing more radical elements.
See also: evil, necessary

the necessary

1. The funds that are necessary for or to do something. We're hoping outside investors will be able to provide the necessary to get our company up and running.
2. That which is required, necessary, or mandatory. A: "I know you're sure that the body we recovered belongs to the suspect, but we still need a positive ID from his next of kin." B: "OK, I'll contact his wife to come in and do the necessary."
3. euphemism Urination or defecation. This is the last rest stop for the next four hours, so anyone who needs to do the necessary had better do it now!
4. euphemism, obsolete A toilet or outhouse. Back when I was growing up, nothing was worse than having to go out to the necessary in the middle of the night by yourself.
See also: necessary
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

deem it (to be) necessary

 and deem that it is necessary
to decide that something is necessary. Mary deemed that it was necessary to leave town that night. Lisa deemed it necessary to go home.
See also: deem, necessary

If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him.

Prov. People need a deity to worship. (This is an English translation of a quote from Voltaire. It is often parodied, using a person's name instead of God and implying that the person is somehow necessary.) The atheist tried to convince Jerry that God does not exist, and that people should not waste their time worshiping Him. "But you can't stop people from worshiping God," Jerry replied. "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him." The unscrupulous mayor was such a convenient scapegoat for the city's problems that if she had not existed, it would have been necessary to invent her.
See also: did, god, if, invent, necessary, not, to
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

a necessary evil

COMMON If you describe something as a necessary evil, you mean that although it is unpleasant, it is needed. He viewed war as a necessary evil. Managers sometimes think that training is a necessary evil that has to be done but is too expensive.
See also: evil, necessary
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

a necessary evil

something that is undesirable but must be accepted.
1997 Internet World Advertising may be a necessary evil. After all, someone has to support Internet ventures.
See also: evil, necessary
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

a ˌnecessary ˈevil

a thing that is unpleasant or even harmful, but which must be accepted because it brings some benefit: Injections against tropical illnesses are a necessary evil when you are planning to travel to that part of the world. ♢ I suppose all these security measures are a necessary evil.
See also: evil, necessary
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

the necessary

n. money; an income. (Also a really old term for a toilet or bathroom.) I can always use more of the necessary.
See also: necessary
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive ?
It is clear then that Moore accepts--and it seems more than reasonable to agree with him--that if R is necessary, then not standing in R entails not being identical to whatever stands in R.
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* The soccer league was very visible in the community and other publicity was not necessary.
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The video recording is necessary not only for documentation purposes, but also to allow for more careful study through later review in a situation where the length of the examination itself is often limited; the use of a VCR allows the endoscopist to perform a fairly quick investigation, thereby reducing the risk of side effects and complications.
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* Stronger defense against lawsuits and citizen complaints: in today's society, where a growing number of people quickly file lawsuits, an agency that has clear, documented policies and procedures and well-trained employees not only can handle situations effectively but also can defend themselves when necessary.
A small police department's success
The buzzword is that it will be necessary to evaluate the method's performance capabilities.
An overview of method validation--part 1
The answer to a fundamental question is necessary before anyone can describe engineering projects in 2015.
Building the future: engineering in 2015; as the paper industry changes, it must also change its approach to engineering and project management
With this as backdrop, many companies are finding it necessary to radically change direction and strategy to improve profitability--often resorting to layoffs alone, when much more is needed.
Managing a successful turnaround even in tight capital markets: the team navigating a turnaround must go way beyond reducing headcount alone and focus on seven steps to change the company's direction and improve its cash flow and profitability
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