needs must when the devil drives

English

Etymology

Needs (“of necessity, necessarily”, adverb) must (“one must”, impersonal) when the devil drives.

Proverb

needs must when the devil drives

1. There is sometimes no choice but to do something.

Synonyms

• needs must (short form)
• necessity knows no law

Translations

there is sometimes no choice but to do something

• Russian: нужда научит калачи есть (nužda naučit kalači jestʹ)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: a la fuerza ahorcan