“Waste not, want not”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase Waste not, want not means that if you do not waste resources and use them wisely, you will not lack them in the future.
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Where it comes from
An older form, Wilful waste makes woeful want, was recorded in the early 18th century. The short modern version became common later.
Examples
- By using leftovers in creative recipes, she lived by the motto ‘Waste not, want not’.
- He always fixed his old gadgets instead of throwing them away, believing firmly in ‘Waste not, want not’.
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