vt (1)(想)要(have a desire to or for)[T+n，T+to-inf，C+n+to-inf，T+-ing，C+n+adj]：～a pink sweater/a cup of coffee/a pay rise/a quiet life/a chance 想要一件粉红色的运动衫/喝一杯咖啡/增加工资/过平静的生活/得到一次机会; What I～ed most is a holiday. 我最想要的是休假。～a few words with sb 想和某人说几句话;What do you～for your birthday? 过生日你想要什么?～to speak to sb/to be an actress/to know what time it is 想和某人说话/做一名女演员/知道几点了;You can borrow that pen if you～to. 如果你想借那支笔，你就借吧。What do you～me to do? 你想要我做什么?～sb to wait there/the meeting to be put off 希望某人在那里等候/推迟会议;I don't～people coming in and out all day/you arriving late/you getting into trouble. 我不希望人们整天进进出出的/你迟到/你遇到麻烦。The people～him as their leader. 大家都想让他当他们的头儿。I～it back right now. 我想要它立即还回来。～that letter ready/typed/opened 想把那封信准备好/打印出来/打开;(not)～one's eggs fried/the boy sent away/the work finished as soon as possible(不)想要煎鸡蛋/把这个男孩送走/让此项工作尽早结束;〖同〗desire;〖反〗refuse，reject，decline，hate;

(2)需要(need)[T+n，T+-ing]：Your shoes/The floor～(s) a good clean. 你的鞋子/这地板需要好好擦擦。Say what you～. 你想说什么就说什么。We shall～more staff for the new office. 我们的新办公室需要增加些职员。Your kid～s a smack/a good beating. 你的小孩该挨打了/得好好打一顿。This wall～s a coat of paint. 这面墙壁需要刷一遍漆。The room～s decorating/painting/whitewashing. 这个房间需要进行装饰/刷漆/刷浆。This job～s doing at once. 这件工作需马上做。Tell me what～s doing and I'll do it for you. 告诉我有什么事需要做，我来帮你。The shoes～mending. 鞋得补补了。The crops～watering/to be watered. 这些庄稼需要浇水。〖同〗 need，require;

(3)应该(should or ought to do sth)[T+to-inf](infml)：You～to see a doctor about your cough. 你应该去看医生，治治你的咳嗽。You don't～to work hard. 你不应该干得这么辛苦。You～to pull youself together. 你应该打起精神。The work～s to be done with great care. 这项工作应该小心谨慎地去做。You～to be more careful/successful. 你应该再细心些/更成功些。You～to remember who you're speaking to! 你应该记住你在和谁讲话!

(4)缺乏(lack)[T+n](fml)： His answer～s courtesy/politeness. 他的回答缺乏谦恭/礼貌。～food/shelter/courage 缺少食物/住处/勇气; It still～s 10 minutes to 12. 还差10分到12点。～judgement 缺少判断;〖同〗lack;

(5)要求某人在场(wish or demand the presence of sb)[T+n，通常pass]：The boss/Your mother～s you. 老板/你母亲要你去一下。Don't go anywhere you're not～ed. 不要到你不该去的地方去。You are～ed. 有人找你(有你的电话)。This suspect was～ed for questioning/for the crime of murder. 这名嫌疑犯必须接受质问/因犯有谋杀罪而被通缉。The fugitive is～ed by the police. 那名逃犯已被警方通缉。The second team/You will not be～ed this afternoon. 二队/你今天下午不必来了。a～ed man 被通缉的人;

(6)有性欲(long to have sex with sb)[T+n]：She～ed him so badly. 她非常想和他做爱。He had never～ed anything the way he～ed Eileen. 他想和艾琳做爱的念头胜过其他一切。

not want to know 故意不理会：He is in great trouble but none of his friends seems to～to know about it. 他遇到了大麻烦，可是他的朋友们似乎谁也不愿理睬这件事。

want for (v prep)缺少(乏)(vt)： The rich lady～s for nothing/never～s for anything. 那个贵妇人应有尽有。～for abilities 缺乏能力;

want in/out (v adv)想进来/出去(vi)(infml)： The dog～s in/out. 狗想进来/出去。

want out/out of (v adv prep)不参与(vi & vt)(infml)(尤AmE)： Don't depend on me. I～out. 别依靠我，我不想参与。I～ed out of that dirty deal. 我不想参与那桩肮脏的交易。

n(1)欲望，需要(desire or requirement)[C，通常pl]：Most people have simple/moderate/few～s. 大多数人只有简单/适度/极少的欲望。a man of few～s 一个欲望不多的人; I feel the～of a real partner. 我感到需要一个真正的伙伴。To visit your country/A car is my long-felt～. 访问你们的国家/拥有一辆汽车是我长期以来的愿望。meet a～满足一个要求; cater to one's every～迎合自己的每一个欲望;～ad (infml) 招聘广告，征求广告;〖同〗 need，requirement，demand，desire;

(2)想往的事物(sth wished for)[C]：They have developed new～s. 他们有了新的需求。supply your～s 提供你所需要的东西; reduce one's～s 减少自己所需的东西; a long list of～s 一张长长的所需物品清单; All his～s were satisfied/supplied. 他所需要的一切都满足/提供了。He would take care of her every～. 他愿满足她的每个需求。

(3)缺乏或不足(insufficiency)[U，a～][N(of)]：This country has a～of water/food/rain. 这个国家缺水/粮/雨。He suffers from a～of good sense. 他因缺乏敏锐的感觉而痛苦。show～of politeness/foresight/feeling/thought/care/judgement 表现出缺乏礼貌/深谋远虑/感情/思想/细心/判断力;There's no～of opportunities these days. 当今这个时代不缺少机遇。These flowers died for/from～of water. 这些花因缺水而枯萎。Though not for～of trying，he couldn't convince her. 虽然也曾尝试，但他还是不能说服她。She had to wear that dress， for～of anything better. 她只得穿那身衣服，因为没有更好的了。〖同〗 deficiency，lack，scarcity，shortage;

(4)贫穷，匮乏(poverty;severe lack)[U]：Many people in the poorer countries of the world have a life of～. 世界上贫穷国家的许多人过着贫困的生活。live in～生活在贫困中; wage a war on/fight～向贫困宣战;W～is the mother of industry/makes people unhappy. 贫穷是勤奋的根由/使人们生活得不幸。During the years of war，many people were reduced to～. 在战争年月，很多人陷入贫困。〖同〗poorness，poverty，need;〖反〗richness，wealth，abundance，sufficiency;

in want of sth 需要： Are you in～of money? 你需要钱吗?The ceiling is in～of repair. 屋顶该修了。

【用法】当 want 之后紧接名词(或)代词加动词不定式时则不跟for，如：I want you to go.(我想要你去。)否则需跟for，如：I want very much for you to go.(我十分想要你去。)What I want is for you to go.(我想要的是你去。)

【辨异】 1)动词 want 与 desire 和 wish 的区别见DESIRE。2)动词 want 与care(for)和 like 的区别见CARE。3)名词 want 与 need 和 poverty 的区别见NEED。