Meanings
- In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some sacrifices be made.
Synonyms: no pain, no gain, you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, you don't get something for nothing, you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbIn order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some sacrifices be made.
Translations
Finnish ei makaavan kissan suuhun hiiri juokse
- ei makaavan kissan suuhun hiiri juoksesome sacrifices must be made for something to be achieved
Greek αν δεν βρέξεις κώλο, ψάρι δεν τρως
- αν δεν βρέξεις κώλο, ψάρι δεν τρως (an den vréxeis kólo, psári den tros)some sacrifices must be made for something to be achieved
Russian хо́чется ры́бку съесть, да не хо́чется в во́ду лезть
- хо́чется ры́бку съесть, да не хо́чется в во́ду лезть (xóčetsja rýbku sʺjestʹ, da ne xóčetsja v vódu leztʹ)some sacrifices must be made for something to be achieved
Spanish quien quiera peces, que moje el culo
- quien quiera peces, que moje el culosome sacrifices must be made for something to be achieved
Cite this entry
the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20cat%20would%20eat%20fish%20but%20would%20not%20wet%20her%20feet
“the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20cat%20would%20eat%20fish%20but%20would%20not%20wet%20her%20feet. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20cat%20would%20eat%20fish%20but%20would%20not%20wet%20her%20feet.
Source: the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.