plan (redirected from plans of attack)

best-laid plans of mice and men oft(en) go astray, and best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley.

Prov. Things often go wrong even though you have carefully planned what you are going to do. (The gang aft a-gley version is Scots dialect, and comes from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse.") Jill: I reserved a hotel room for us three weeks ago, but now the clerk says he has no record of our reservation. So much for our fun weekend in the city. Jane: Well, these things happen. The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray. I had all the arrangements made for my party, and then the guest of honor got sick and I had to call the whole thing off. The best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft a-gley. If a little rain can ruin the best-laid plans of mice and men, think what an earthquake might do!

See also: and, astray, men, mice

plan something out

to make thorough plans for something. Let us sit down and plan our strategy out. We sat down and planned out our strategy.

See also: out

plan for someone

to prepare enough [of something] for someone. Fred just called and said he can show up for dinner after all. Please plan for him. Tony wasn't planned for, and there is no place for him to sit.

plan for something 

1. to prepare for something. I need to take some time and plan for my retirement. We carefully planned for almost every possibility.

2. to prepare or estimate for a certain number [of people or things]. I am planning for twelve. I hope everyone can come.

plan on someone

to be ready for someone; to anticipate someone's arrival. Don't plan on Sam. He has a cold and probably won't come. We are planning on Ted and Bill.

plan on something

to prepare for something; to be ready for something; to anticipate something. If I were you, I would plan on a big crowd at your open house. This was not planned on.

upset someone's plans

Fig. to ruin someone's plans. I hope it doesn't upset your plans if I'm late for the meeting. No, it won't upset my plans at all.

See also: upset

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a game plan

a plan for achieving success, especially in business or politics Part of the firm's game plan is to expand into Eastern Europe.

See also: game