What does ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ mean?
To “a friend in need is a friend indeed” means to true friends are those who help in hard times. Brewer's lists this as a familiar English proverb, current from at least the 11th century in older forms.
Origin
- Brewer's lists this as a familiar English proverb, current from at least the 11th century in older forms.
How to use it
- Warm praise for reliable friends.
- Example: She drove me to the hospital at 3 a.m. — a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.