the cow knows not the worth of its tail till it loses it
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Synonym of you never miss the water till the well runs dry.
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 cow knows not the worth of its tail till it loses it” mean?
Synonym of you never miss the water till the well runs dry.
Is “the cow knows not the worth of its tail till it loses it” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.