В-204

КАК ВОЗДУХ нужен, необходим и т. п. кому (как + NP Invar adv (intensif)) ( s.o. needs some person or thing) very much

X нужен Y-y \В-204 - Y needs X as much as the air Y breathes

X is as necessary to Y as the air Y breathes Y needs X as much as air to breathe.

После падения Франции я не раз встречал людей... разлагаемых потребностью политической деятельности... Им надобна как воздух сцена и зрители... (Герцен 1). After the fall of France I more than once met people... who were disintegrated by the craving for public activity....A stage and spectators are as necessary to them as the air they breathe... (1a).

Главное было передохнуть... Передышка нам была нужна как воздух (Мандельштам 2). .. The main thing for us was to have a break.... We needed this as much as air to breathe (2a).