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Maximum vs Required - What's the difference?

maximum | required |

As a noun maximum

is the highest limit.

As an adjective maximum

is to the highest degree.

As a verb required is

past tense of require.

maximum

Noun

(en-noun)
  • The highest limit.
  • * P. Colquhoun
  • Good legislation is the art of conducting a nation to the maximum of happiness, and the minimum of misery.
  • (mathematics) The greatest value of a set or other mathematical structure, especially the global maximum or a local maximum of a function.
  • (analysis) An upper bound of a set which is also an element of that set.
  • (statistics) The largest value of a batch or sample or the upper bound of a probability distribution.
  • (colloquial, snooker) A 147 break; the highest possible break.
  • (colloquial, darts) A score of with three darts.
  • (colloquial, cricket) A scoring shot for 6 runs.
  • Usage notes

    * (term) is the more common plural, especially for the technical senses.

    Hypernyms

    * (statistics) measure of location

    Synonyms

    * max

    Antonyms

    * minimum

    Adjective

    (-)
  • To the highest degree.
  • Use the proper dose for the maximum effect.

    Derived terms

    * antimaximum * global maximum * local maximum * maximal * maximize * maximum break * maximum limit * submaximum

    required

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (require)

  • require

    English

    Verb

    (requir)
  • (label) To ask (someone) for something; to request.
  • *, Bk.XI:
  • *: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.
  • *1526 , Bible , tr. William Tyndale, Mark V:
  • *:I requyre the in the name of god, that thou torment me nott.
  • To demand, to insist upon (having); to call for authoritatively.
  • *1998 , Joan Wolf, The Gamble , Warner Books:
  • *:"I am Miss Newbury," I announced, "and I require to be shown to my room immediately, if you please."
  • *2009 , Vikram Dodd, The Guardian , 29 December:
  • *:‘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.’
  • Naturally to demand (something) as indispensable; to need, to call for as necessary.
  • *1972 , "Aid for Aching Heads", Time , 5 June:
  • *:Chronic pain is occasionally a sign of a very serious problem, like brain tumors, and can require surgery.
  • *2009 , Julian Borger, The Guardian , 7 February:
  • *:A weapon small enough to put on a missile would require uranium enriched to more than 90% U-235.
  • To demand of (someone) to do something.
  • *1970 , "Compulsory Midi", Time , 29 June:
  • *:After Aug 3 all salesgirls will be required to wear only one style of skirt while on duty: the midi.
  • *2007 , Allegra Stratton, "Smith to ban non-EU unskilled immigrants from working in UK", The Guardian , 5 December:
  • *:The government would like to require non-British fiances who wish to marry a British citizen to sit an English test.