Don't put the cart before the horse

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Meaning

Avoid doing things out of order, keeping proper sequence.

Origin

From 14th-century England, in a 1380 Chaucer tale as 'cart before horse' for folly, rooted in carting logic; horses pull, not push. A 1520s proverb lists it.

Variants

  • Cart before horse

Usage Examples

  • Don't put the cart before the horse; plan first.
  • He put the cart before the horse, buying without cash.
  • Putting the cart before the horse ruins it.

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