put the cart before the horse

To do things out of the proper order. Starting the fundraiser before we know how much we need is putting the cart before the horse.

See also: before, cart, horse, put

put the cart before the horse

Fig. to have things in the wrong order; to have things confused and mixed up. (Also with have.) You're eating your dessert first! You've put the cart before the horse. John has the cart before the horse in most of his projects.

See also: before, cart, horse, put

cart before the horse, put the

Reverse the proper order of things or events, as in Don't put the cart before the horse and give away the punch line. This expression has been used since antiquity but was first recorded in English in 1520.

put the cart before the horse

If you put the cart before the horse, you do things in the wrong order. Creating large numbers of schools before we've improved school management is putting the cart before the horse. Let's not put the cart before the horse. Let's actually find out what the problem is before we try to solve it. Note: Cart and horse are also used in many other structures and expressions with a similar meaning. They want to go down the road with the cart before the horse and spend the money before they have made it. These kids are encouraged to compete before they actually have the skills to win. We've got ourselves a cart-before-the-horse situation.

See also: before, cart, horse, put

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

put the cart before the horse

reverse the proper order or procedure of something.

A medieval version of this expression was set the oxen before the yoke . The version with horse and cart dates from the early 16th century.

1998 Spectator It's putting the cart before the horse. All history shows that if you want to create a political union, you do that first and the single currency follows.

See also: before, cart, horse, put

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

put the ˌcart before the ˈhorse

put or do things in the wrong order: Don’t plan the menu before deciding how many people to invite — it’s like putting the cart before the horse.

See also: before, cart, horse, put

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

See also:

References in periodicals archive

Let's not put the cart before the horse. A cash-out refinance will cost you some money, most of which can be rolled into the new loan.

Give Yourself A Pay Raise With A Cash-Out Refinance

The media must not put the cart before the horse while trying to set agenda or mediate where conflict erupts, instead, it would be expected that issues are treated and reported with the prominence they deserve.

Media and national unity

A TOWN hall has not 'put the cart before the horse' in buying an ailing shopping centre, according to bosses.

Council defends PS8m retail centre buy-up; opposition leader questions lack of plan for future of ailing venue

In this respect they have put the cart before the horse as usual.

Invest in Energy Security first... LETTERS&NOSTALGIA

Says he: "If the advert is not just a formality, why did the President put the cart before the horse and why the urgency if the post was meant to be competitively filled?

THE CUTTING EDGE

"The ministers or their deputies avoided discussing the Qatari crisis in order not to put the cart before the horse and not to thwart the rapprochement efforts."

Qatar crisis 'was not discussed by GCC foreign ministers'

Don't put the cart before the horse, Powell said, is his work philosophy.

BRETT POWELL

Josh: I think the lesson we both learned--because you paid for college while you went and I paid off my debt quickly by living frugally--is that you shouldn't put the cart before the horse. It's the first rule in the book: Don't spend money you don't have.

From the podcast ... Shelby Skrhak and Josh Ellis host success insider

'Soriano abused his authority and flagrantly disregarded established rule since he put the cart before the horse by issuing the permit without authorization by the Sanggunian,' Morales said.

Tuguegarao City Mayor dismissed from service anew

"They have put the cart before the horse. They should have had proper evidence before I was charged."

School secretary cleared of dinner money fraud; 60-YEAR-OLD SAYS SHE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO COURT

The administration has put the cart before the horse throughout this process and is learning the hard way that the Ashington scheme does not hold water, as projected costs are spiralling and basic matters like sufficient parking spaces have not even been properly addressed.

It's time for a rethink; Letters

"The minister is attempting to put the cart before the horse. She needs to ensure adequate resources are in place before any major curriculum reforms are implemented."

Minister gets warning over Junior Cycle reform plans

The Minister described the discussion of an implementation mechanism before reaching outcomes is like someone who tries to put the cart before the horse.

Justice Minister: NCD does not grant impunity to anybody