proverb · Words worth keeping
Every sow to her own trough.
Every sow to her own trough.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Each participant is directed toward their own allotted provision. The trough image can express order but needs scrutiny if it is used to exclude someone unfairly.
What the words are saying
The sow is assigned a separate feeding place. As a metaphor, this can encourage respecting an agreed allocation rather than taking what belongs to others. It does not show that existing shares are fair or that people needing help should be left alone. A useful reading clarifies ownership and agreement while allowing cooperation and questions about unequal provision.
Everyday example
A group labels materials reserved for separate tasks and also discusses how unused supplies can be shared fairly.
When to use it
Use it to clarify an agreed allocation without treating it as beyond question.
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What it does not mean
An allocation may be unfair, and animal imagery should not be used to demean people.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1480 · Sow
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English