Paul in Arlington, Texas, wonders about his grandmother’s response when he used to tell her he needed something. She’d say It needs be the devil meet. It’s likely a version of the older phrase He must needs go that the devil drives. In this case, the word needs functions as an adverb meaning “necessarily,” or “unavoidably,” which intensifies the word must. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Needs be the Devil Meet”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, this is Paul from Arlington, Texas.
Hi, Paul. Welcome to the show.
Hi, Paul.
So my grandmother, she’s a dear old Southern lady, and she had a number of fun things that she would say.
But she would use this particular phrase almost as a no matter what, this needs to happen or this is going to happen.
Whether we were running late for an appointment or we were trying to set up for an event or something like that, if we were running behind the clock or if there was something important on the line, she would say, needs be the devil meets.
Or needs be the devil will meet.
And it was kind of like a kick in the pants to the kids, like, hey, let’s get this going.
This is going to happen one way or the other, so let’s make it work.
It needs be the devil meets.
And I’ve never heard anybody else use it.
I’ve only ever heard her use it.
And nobody I’ve spoken to as an adult has ever heard this phrase used.
Needs be the devil meets.
Is that right?
Yes.
It’s an odd little combination of words.
I know.
And then when I say that, does that just make you…
Straighten up and fly right?
Yeah, right.
Get into gear.
Yeah.
It makes me stand up straight.
Yeah, for sure.
Well, you know, I’ve never heard that version, but I wonder if she was using a variation of a much, much older phrase, which is, must needs go that the devil drives.
That’s an old, very well-established saying that goes back to the 15th century.
He must needs go that the devil drives.
And it means sort of that same idea of necessity is compelling you to do something.
There are just no two ways about it.
Whatever you’ve got to do is unavoidable.
And you see this phrase in the early 15th century, and Shakespeare used it in All’s Well That Ends Well, when Clown is asked why he wants to get married.
He says, my poor body, madam, requires it.
I am driven on by the flesh, and he must needs go that the devil drives.
Meaning, I got to get married because my body is telling me to, and the devil is pushing me to do it.
The devil is making me do it.
Do you think that maybe she used a version of that, must needs go that the devil drives?
I mean, it sounds like it’s used in the same way, or at least with the same context.
And so that very well could be.
I had no idea that it was that old.
She was born in the early 19, she was born in 1918, and so she grew up in a rural southern environment.
It really sounds like a variation of that phrase, which is a very interesting one linguistically because the needs here in must needs go is actually functioning as an adverb, meaning necessarily or unavoidably.
It’s an adverb that intensifies that word must because in Old English, you could turn a noun into an adverb by adding s or es to the end of it.
And so must needs.
Wouldn’t you think, Grant, I’m betting that she somehow either misremembered or did her own elaboration on that phrase.
Yeah, it’s had so many centuries that it could have changed before it reached her.
Yeah, it sounds so much like it.
These are circumstances beyond your control.
And there’s also a notion here of being forced to do the unwanted or maybe even the unexpected.
Yeah, that would be a good example of how she might use that.
I remember distinctly she’d like to throw a lot of parties.
And if we were over there helping her get ready for her parties, you know, it was hell or high water.
This place is going to be ready to go when the guests start arriving.
Sounds like a strong-willed woman.
Oh, yes.
Raised right.
Paul, thank you so much for your question.
We really appreciate it.
Thanks for sharing your memories.
Thank you so much for having me.
I really appreciate it.
I feel like I have more height in you now.
Oh, well, that’s great.
And now we must needs go.
Yes, I appreciate it very much.
Thank you.
All right.
Take care.
Bye-bye.
Thanks.
Bye-bye.
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