LACK

I. Date: 13th century intransitive verb to be deficient or missing , to be short or have need of something , transitive verb to stand in need of ; suffer from the absence or deficiency of , II. noun Etymology: Middle English lak; akin to Middle Dutch lak ~, Old Norse lakr defective Date: 14th century the fact or state of being wanting or deficient , something that is ~ing or is needed