put the cart before the horse
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Do not put the cart before the horse," he used to reply to anyone who came to him worried about the situation at the time.
From BBC
After the win over the Cardinals, when asked whether Rams starters would play against the Seahawks, McVay said “I don’t want to put the cart before the horse,” and that the Rams would prepare as usual for the Seahawks.
From Los Angeles Times
OVG CEO Tim Leiweke may have put the cart before the horse when publicly discussing the prospects during the bidding process.
From Seattle Times
In that 2-1 ruling, the majority said Judge Jackson’s ruling “put the cart before the horse because the type of forum sheds no light on whether a policy or decision discriminates against a certain viewpoint.”
From Washington Times
“We’ve got to keep moving forward as a group, everyone get better and keep playing well and not put the cart before the horse. We had a really good year last year, but it’s going to be much harder this year. Teams are going to be gunning for us, and we’re now considered a top team.”
From Washington Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.