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not-invented-here syndrome
A prejudicial belief that products, systems, software, etc., that were not developed within a company or organization are not as suitable or well made as those that are created in-house. I think the boss's not-invented-here-syndrome stems from experiences he had using third-party software in his previous business, which apparently cost them thousands of dollars trying to implement.
didn't invent gunpowder
Rur. did not do anything terribly important. He may be the class president, but he didn't invent gunpowder. What's all this fuss about a movie star? She didn't invent gunpowder!
If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him.
Prov. People need a deity to worship. (This is an English translation of a quote from Voltaire. It is often parodied, using a person's name instead of God and implying that the person is somehow necessary.) The atheist tried to convince Jerry that God does not exist, and that people should not waste their time worshiping Him. "But you can't stop people from worshiping God," Jerry replied. "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him." The unscrupulous mayor was such a convenient scapegoat for the city's problems that if she had not existed, it would have been necessary to invent her.
make something up out of whole cloth
Fig. to fabricate a story or a lie. That's a lie. You just made that up out of whole cloth. That's a lie. You just made up that story out of whole cloth.
reinvent the wheel
Fig. to make unnecessary or redundant preparations. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Read up on what others have done. I don't have to reinvent the wheel, but I will be cautious before I act.
reinvent the wheel
to discover how to do something that has already been discovered We've had a lot of experience with disasters, and don't have to reinvent the wheel every time something happens.
reinvent the wheel
to waste time trying to develop products or systems that you think are original when in fact they have already been done before Why reinvent the wheel when there are drugs already on the market that are effective?
make something up out of whole cloth
(American) also invent something out of whole cloth (American) if a story or excuse is made up out of whole cloth, it is not true Yet the explanation was too strange for Joan to have made up out of whole cloth.
reinvent the wheel
Do something again, from the beginning, especially in a needless or inefficient effort, as in School committees need not reinvent the wheel every time they try to improve the curriculum. This expression alludes to the invention of a simple but very important device that requires no improvement. [Second half of 1900s]
reinvent the wheel
tv. to make unnecessary or redundant preparations. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Read up on what others have done.
reinvent the wheel
To do or make something again, from the beginning, especially in a needless or inefficient effort.