Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

needs must when the devil drives

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.96 in modern English

Syllables: need-s -must when the dev-il -drives
IPA

47

Scrabble Score

27

Letters

5

Syllables

13

Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

There is sometimes no choice but to do some specific thing.

Example Sentences

"He needs must goe, the Devil drives."
"My poor body, madam, requires it: I am driven on by the flesh; and he must needs go that the devil drives."
"I doubt we can make it on foot, laden as we are. Dear me! I think we had better have a cab. An extravagance, of course, but needs must where the devil drives, eh?"

Etymology

Originally “needs must he go whom the devil drives”, where needs is an adverb with the sense “of necessity”.

Synonyms

needs must necessity knows no law

Questions

What does needs must when the devil drives mean?: There is sometimes no choice but to do some specific thing.
Where does needs must when the devil drives come from?: Originally “needs must he go whom the devil drives”, where needs is an adverb with the sense “of necessity”.

How to pronounce needs must when the devil drives

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