Etymology Journal ยท W
Waste not, want not
Meaning
- A guiding philosophy that if you are careful with your resources, you will never go without. It is an old-fashioned call to be thrifty and mindful.
Wise, thrifty
Used in a sentence
- Eat your leftovers for lunch, waste not, want not.
- My grandma always said waste not, want not when she saved the bacon grease.
- Use the whole lemon, waste not, want not.
The backstory
This is an old English proverb that dates back to at least the 18th century. It emphasizes the virtue of frugality in a household.
Heard in
Nationwide
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