English 11 A - Early American and Colonial Literature Test

6. Read the following sentence from "The Middle Passage".

"Many a time we were near suffocation, from the want of fresh air, which we were often without for whole days together."

Which word best matches the meaning of "want" as it is used in the sentence?
A. breath
B. hope
C. lack *
D. need *

I believe that the answer is either C or D. I would appreciate the help. Thank you!