need-to-know basis
15
5.5
- noun
- Formal
- All information will be shared on a need-to-know basis to protect confidentiality.
Examples
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Everything after that will be on a need-to-know basis.
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And I was able to keep this on a need-to-know basis.
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You are on a need to know basis.
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I mean, it's strictly on a need to know basis, you know what I mean?
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That information is on a need-to-know basis.
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That information is on a need-to-know basis only.
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It's all on a need-to-know basis.
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Classified information is still restricted on a need-to-know basis.
Blog text (4) -
You're on a need-to-know basis, soldier.
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Internally, parties within the entity exchange proprietary and sensitive information among peers on a need-to-know basis.
Academic text (2003)
Antonyms
How Restricted
Surface Forms
Morphology
need-to-know + basis
The phrase is directly built from 'need to know' (only necessary information) plus 'basis' (a manner or principle), so the meaning 'information shared only with those who require it' is compositional and recoverable. The pattern 'on a X basis' is productive and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Need-to-know basis comes from places like the military or secret offices where facts and papers were given only to people who must use them for their work. Picture a locked file that only people who need the information and are allowed to know can open, so the phrase means 'share only what someone needs to do their job'.