necessity

make a virtue of necessity

Prov. to do what you have to do cheerfully or willingly. When Bill's mother became sick, there was no one but Bill to take care of her, so Bill made a virtue of necessity and resolved to enjoy their time together.

See also: make, virtue

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Prov. When people really need to do something, they will figure out a way to do it. When the fan belt on Linda's car broke in the middle of the desert, Linda used her stockings as a replacement. Necessity is the mother of invention.

See also: mother

Necessity knows no law.

Prov. If you are desperate, you may have to do illegal things. I'm an honest person by nature, but I lost my job, and my kids needed food and clothes, and it seemed like the best way to get money was to deal in illegal drugs. Necessity knows no law.

See also: know, law

out of necessity

because of necessity; due to need. I bought this hat out of necessity. I needed one, and this was all there was. We sold our car out of necessity.

See also: out

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make a virtue of necessity  (formal)

to change something you must do into a positive or useful experience It's a long way to drive so I thought I'd make a virtue of necessity and stop off at some interesting places along the way.

See also: make, virtue

Necessity is the mother of invention.

something that you say which means that if you want to do something very much you will think of a way to do it We can't afford expensive paper to paint on so we use old envelopes and newspaper. They do say necessity is the mother of invention.

See also: mother