no mill, no meal
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
If one does not work, one shall not eat.
Register: dated
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “no mill, no meal” mean?
If one does not work, one shall not eat.
Is “no mill, no meal” formal or informal?
no mill, no meal is generally dated.