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Nearby words

carson, kit, carson, rachel, carson, rachel louise, carstensz, carstensz, mount, cart, cart before the horse, put the, cart horse, cart off, cart track, cart-way

Idioms

    on the water cart, British. wagon(def 14).
    put the cart before the horse, to do or place things in improper order; be illogical.

Origin of cart

before 900; Middle English cart(e), Old English cræt (by metathesis); cognate with Old Norse kartr cart
Related formscart·a·ble, adjectivecart·er, nounun·cart·ed, adjective
Can be confusedcart carte
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for put the cart before the horse (1 of 3)

cart

1
/ (kɑːt) /

noun

a heavy open vehicle, usually having two wheels and drawn by horses, used in farming and to transport goods
a light open horse-drawn vehicle having two wheels and springs, for business or pleasure
any small vehicle drawn or pushed by hand, such as a trolley
put the cart before the horse to reverse the usual or natural order of things

verb

(usually tr) to use or draw a cart to convey (goods, etc)to cart groceries
(tr) to carry with effort; haulto cart wood home
Derived Formscartable, adjectivecarter, noun

Word Origin for cart

C13: from Old Norse kartr; related to Old English cræt carriage, Old French carete; see car

British Dictionary definitions for put the cart before the horse (2 of 3)

cart

2
/ (kɑːt) /

noun

radio television short for cartridge (def. 4)

British Dictionary definitions for put the cart before the horse (3 of 3)

CART

abbreviation for

Championship Auto Racing Teams
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with put the cart before the horse (1 of 2)

put the cart before the horse

see cart before the horse.

Idioms and Phrases with put the cart before the horse (2 of 2)

cart

In addition to the idioms beginning with cart

  • cart before the horse, put the
  • cart off

also see:

  • upset the applecart
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.