Word Origin & History
mustO.E. moste, pt. of motan "have to, be able to," from P.Gmc. *motanan "to fix, allot, appoint, to have room, to be able" (cf. O.Fris. mota, M.L.G. moten, Du. moeten, Ger. müssen "to be obliged to," Goth. gamotan "to have room to, to be able to"), from PIE base *med- "to measure." Used as present
tense from c.1300, from the custom of using past subjunctive as a moderate or polite form of the present. The noun meaning "something that has to be seen or experienced" is from 1892.
must"new wine," O.E. must, from L. mustum, short for vinum mustum "fresh wine," neut. of mustus "fresh, new."
must"mold," c.1600, perhaps a back-formation of
musty (q.v.).
must"male elephant frenzy," 1871, from Urdu mast "intoxicated, in rut," from Pers. mast, lit. "intoxicated," related to Skt. matta- "drunk, intoxicated," pp. of madati "boils, bubbles, gets drunk," from PIE base *mad- "wet, to drip."
musterc.1300, "to display, reveal, appear," from O.Fr. mostrer (modern Fr. montrer), from L. monstrare "to show," from monstrum "omen, sign" (see
monster). Noun meaning "act of gathering troops" is c.1400. To pass musters (1570s) originally meant "to undergo military review without
censure." To muster out "gather to be discharged from military service" is 1834, Amer.Eng. To muster up in the fig. and transf. sense of "gather, summon, marshal" is from 1620s. Related: Mustered; mustering.