necessity is the mother of invention

necessity is the mother of invention

proverb Creative solutions are often produced in response to difficulties or hardships that need to be overcome. A: "I needed to drain the washing machine to try and unblock it, so I used an old bike tube to funnel the water out the back door." B: "Wow, necessity is the mother of invention, huh?"
See also: mother, necessity, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

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, of
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

necessity is the mother of invention

Inventiveness and ingenuity are stimulated by difficulty. For example, The first prisoner to tie together bedsheets to escape knew that necessity was the mother of invention . This proverb first appeared in English in 1519 in slightly different form, "Need taught him wit," and exists in many other languages as well.
See also: mother, necessity, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

neˌcessity is the ˌmother of inˈvention

(saying) a very difficult new problem forces people to think of, design, produce, etc. a solution to it: ‘So how did you manage to open the bottle?’ ‘I used a bit of wire and a stick. Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes.’
See also: mother, necessity, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

necessity is the mother of invention

Urgent need prompts one to devise a new solution. Words to this effect date from the time of the ancient Greeks, but the precise phrase first occurs in William Wycherley’s play Love in a Wood (1672, 3.3): “Necessity, mother of invention!” It is a proverb in Italian, French, German, and probably numerous other languages.
See also: mother, necessity, of
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • it takes a village
  • village
  • teach a man to fish
  • tomorrow never comes
  • capacity
  • best-laid plans go astray, the
  • the best-laid plans
  • the best-laid plans go astray
  • the best-laid plans of mice and men
  • an ounce of common sense is worth a pound of theory
References in periodicals archive
But as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
There's beauty on our own doorstep; YOUR VIEW Jon Cook, pastor at Hillsong UK Newcastle, on the benefits of a family staycation
While responding to a question by media person that how the dead corpses of past have become nice now, the CM said 'there is necessity and necessity is the mother of invention'.
Bilawal would not need Imran Khan's container: Murad Ali Shah
Perhaps it was a Greek philosopher who once said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Dare I say curiosity too is the mother of invention.
Digital media is affecting our curiosity
It's said that necessity is the mother of invention. In my case, necessity is the mother of ingenuity.
My DIY therapy for an ischemic stroke
It's often said necessity is the mother of invention. In this case, Brexit makes it a necessity to act now to create opportunities for businesses to innovate, compete and ultimately, to think globally.
Investing in R&D to boost innovation is now a necessity
If necessity is the mother of invention, then reinvention must be the child of tackling those necessities with creativity and technology.
The $200B generation: Millennials reveal challenges & opportunities in insurance [infographic]
MacGyver, a TV hero who could be said to live the old adage that necessity is the mother of invention, would approve of an attempt by the entertainment industry to lionise engineering.
MacGyver, a TV hero who could be said to live the old adage that necessity is the mother of invention
Necessity is the mother of invention, which was certainly true for ElliptiGO co-founder and CEO Bryan Pate.
Passion and perseverance: when a novel idea isn't enough
There is a saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention." How true!
Postal rates madness
As always, necessity is the mother of invention and I was intrigued by an email promoting the bee snug.
Winter bee care
Necessity is the mother of invention, and rope was necessary on farms and elsewhere.
Rope making makes good hobby
If necessity is the mother of invention, then "exasperation" must be the father.
Build yourself an essentials box
Acknowledging the adage that 'necessity is the mother of invention,' accompanying each topic is a short statement of the problem the invention addressed.
Cheng, Christopher & Linsay Knight: Australia's Greatest Inventions and Innovations
Coming away from the 61st Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference, held last October in London, Ont., one could not help thinking that the well-worn aphorism, 'necessity is the mother of invention,' is the mantra for a planet facing the end of the era of fossil fuels.
From the Editor
Summary: SIDON: Since necessity is the mother of invention, this week's gasoline crisis prompted a Sidon man to dust off his electric car to get around town.
Sidon man brings electric car out of retirement after fuel crisis