require

present singular third person requires · participle present requiring · participle past required · past required

1. To demand, to insist upon (having); to call for authoritatively.First known use 14th c.

   "I am Miss Newbury," I announced, "and I require to be shown to my room immediately, if you please."

   1998, Joan Wolf, The Gamble, Warner Books

   1 more example

   ‘Regrettably, I have concluded, after considering the matter over Christmas[…], that I can no longer maintain the high standard of service I require of myself, meet the demands of office and cope with the pressures of public life, without my health deteriorating further.’

   2009 December 29, Vikram Dodd, The Guardian

2. Naturally to demand (something) as indispensable; to need, to call for as necessary.First known use 15th c.

   A weapon small enough to put on a missile would require uranium enriched to more than 90% U-235.

   2009 February 7, Julian Borger, The Guardian

   1 more example

   Chronic pain is occasionally a sign of a very serious problem, like brain tumors, and can require surgery.

   1972 June 5, “Aid for Aching Heads”, in Time

3. To demand (of someone) to do something.First known use 18th c.

   It is required (of me) that I give evidence in court.

   2 more examples

   After Aug 3 all salesgirls will be required to wear only one style of skirt while on duty: the midi.

   1970 June 29, “Compulsory Midi”, in Time

   The government would like to require non-British fiances who wish to marry a British citizen to sit an English test.

   2007 December 5, Allegra Stratton, “Smith to ban non-EU unskilled immigrants from working in UK”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: provide

4. obsoleteTo ask (someone) for something; to request; to beseech.First known use 14th–17th c.

   I requyre the in the name of god, that thou torment me nott.

   I beseech thee, for God's sake, do not torment me.

   1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Mark

   1 more example

   I requyre yow lete vs be sworne to gyders that neuer none of vs shalle after this day haue adoo with other, and there with alle syre Tristram and sire Lamorak sware that neuer none of hem shold fyghte ageynst other nor for wele, nor for woo.

   I request that you let us be sworn together, so that neither of us shall ever again after this day have ado with the other, and therewithal Sir Tristan and Sir Lamorak swore that neither of them would fight against the other ever again, whether for well or for woe [i.e. for good or bad reasons].

   1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum XI”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book IX, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC, page 355