Adversity tries friends.
Adversity tries friends.
Meaning in plain English
A difficult period can reveal how a friendship responds to strain. Practical care and reliability may become clearer when support requires effort rather than easy company.
Example
When a neighbour loses her usual childcare, a friend who cannot cover the whole week still helps arrange two afternoons and checks how she is managing.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Tries means tests in this context. The proverb suggests that friendship is easier to claim when life is pleasant than to sustain when someone needs patience, attention or assistance. Trouble can show whether affection extends beyond convenience. The lesson is to notice real care rather than evaluate a friendship only by enjoyable occasions. Yet a friend’s ability to help has limits, and their own difficulties may be invisible. One missed call or unavailable favour does not establish indifference. A fair reading considers the pattern of the relationship and what each person could reasonably offer.
When to use it
Use it when reflecting on sustained care during a difficult period.
Keep in mind
Support takes different forms; friends should not be judged by demands beyond their realistic capacity.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-03. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 6 · Adversity
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗
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