Phrase guide

you don't get something for nothing

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

proverb

Meaning 1

One cannot expect to receive some benefit if one does not pay for it in some way or does not face a counterbalancing hazard or harm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: الْبِلَاش يُجِيبُ ٱلْعَمَى وَٱلطُرَاش (al-bilāš yujību l-ʕamā waṭ-ṭurāš) — everything has a price
  • Dutch: voor wat hoort wat — everything has a price
  • Finnish: mitään ei saa ilmaiseksi — everything has a price
  • Finnish: ei makaavan kissan suuhun hiiri juokse — everything has a price
  • French: on n'a rien sans rien — everything has a price
  • German: alles hat seinen Preis — everything has a price
  • German: man kriegt nichts geschenkt — everything has a price
  • German: nur der Tod ist umsonst — everything has a price
  • German: von nichts kommt nichts — everything has a price
  • Italian: chi non semina non raccoglie — everything has a price
  • Polish: coś za coś — everything has a price