the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some sacrifices be made.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Để đạt được điều gì đó, phải hy sinh một số thứ
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
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 “the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet” mean?
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some sacrifices be made.
Is “the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.