invent



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.
See also: syndrome

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!
See also: invent

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.
See also: did, god, if, invent, necessary, not

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.
See also: cloth, make, of, out, up, whole

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.
See also: reinvent, wheel

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.
See also: reinvent, wheel

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?
See also: reinvent, wheel

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.
See also: cloth, make, of, out, up, whole

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]
See also: reinvent, wheel

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.
See also: reinvent, wheel

reinvent the wheel

To do or make something again, from the beginning, especially in a needless or inefficient effort.
See also: reinvent, wheel

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Grga-Croatian
Servaosser-VAWSLimburgish
MarcusMAR-kuws (Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin), MAHR-kəs (English)Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Kazukokah-zoo-koJapanese
Leannelee-ANEnglish
BeckyBEK-eeEnglish