necessary evil
An unfavorable thing that must be done or accepted, especially because the available…An unfavorable thing that must be done or accepted, especially because the available alternative courses of action or inaction would be worse.
» It's a necessary evil.
Das ist ein notwendiges Übel.
Это неизбежное зло.
Это необходимое зло.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)An unfavorable thing that must be done or accepted, especially because the available alternative courses of action or inaction would be worse.
Another punishing round of chemo is a necessary evil if Lisa is to have a fighting chance against the cancer.
My boss is a real piece of work, but my kids make keeping this job a necessary evil.
notwendiges Übel
необходимое злоneobxodimoje zlo
Examples
11 sentencesIt's a necessary evil.
ruЭто неизбежное зло. — odexed
deDas ist ein notwendiges Übel. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
Work is a necessary evil.
Робота — це необхідне зло. — deniko
ruРабота - необходимое зло. — marafon
deArbeit ist ein notwendiges Übel. — mayabe
Personally, I think that corporal punishment is a necessary evil.
Особисто я вважаю, що тілесна кара є неминуче лихо. — tikan0
ruЯ лично считаю, что телесные наказания — необходимое зло. — Wezel
dePersönlich halte ich Körperstrafe für ein notwendiges Übel. — raggione
They considered it a necessary evil.
They believed that it was a necessary evil.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Forms
plural: necessary evils| Singular | necessary evil |
|---|---|
| Plural | necessary evils |
regular