# appetite comes with eating

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/appetite-comes-with-eating
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Starting an activity increases one's desire to continue it.

## Examples

- Start the project, because appetite comes with eating.
- I did not want to exercise today, but I started anyway because appetite comes with eating.
- Although she initially hesitated to begin the research, she soon found that appetite comes with eating as the complexity of the subject drew her in.

## Origin

Calque of French l'appétit vient en mangeant, first used by François Rabelais.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.