Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Meaning in plain English
The saying postpones counting chickens until they hatch. As an analogy, it separates an expected gain from one already realised.
Example
A team plans for a possible resource increase but does not spend it before it is confirmed.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The eggs make the uncertain result concrete. A useful application can keep plans conditional rather than assuming every hoped-for outcome. It does not require avoiding preparation or establish what will happen in a particular nest or undertaking.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish a possible gain from a confirmed one.
Keep in mind
Preparation can still be useful; no outcome or hatching prediction is established.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 263; PDF page 41
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