make a virtue of necessity
To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“We had no car, so we made a virtue of necessity and walked.”
“Since the flight was cancelled, we made a virtue of necessity and spent an extra day exploring the city.”
“Faced with a limited budget, the architect made a virtue of necessity by using reclaimed materials to create a unique, modern aesthetic.”
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absence makes the heart grow fonder
One feels more love or affection for those one loves when parted from them.
- 02
cannot make it
Cannot reach satisfactory or expected standards or do something competently; describes someone in a hopeless situation.
- 03
doctors make the worst patients
It is difficult to advise people on subjects that they are experts on.
- 04
dormitive virtue
A type of tautology in which an item is explained in terms of the item itself, only put in different (usually more abstract) words.
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enough to make a cat laugh
Very outlandish or outrageous.
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enough to make the angels weep
Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.
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fine feathers make fine birds
Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.
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have it made
To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty.
Last updated August 10, 2026