must
Translation
must, have to
Examples
You must finish your homework.
You must finish your homework.
It must be cold outside.
It must be cold outside.
You must not smoke in here.
You must not smoke in here.
Grammar Patterns
must ((+ verb)) to express obligation or necessity You must finish your homework.
must ((+ verb)) to express a logical conclusion or certainty It must be cold outside.
must not ((+ verb)) to express prohibition You must not smoke in here.
Similar Words
Synonyms (obligation): have to, need to; (deduction): have to be. Antonyms: must not, needn't
Etymology
From Old English 'moste', which was the past tense of 'motan' ('to be allowed, to have to').
Memory Tips
'Must' is a very strong obligation. Think of it as a MASTER's command: "You MUST obey!"