proverb · Words worth keeping
Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying warns against testing water’s depth with both feet. As an analogy, it cautions against committing fully before understanding a risk.
Example
Someone asks for more information about an unfamiliar commitment before agreeing to its full scope.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Using both feet makes the test itself a commitment. A useful reading asks whether an uncertain situation can first be assessed with less exposure. The supplied digging image is a separate analogy, and this phrase gives no swimming, rescue or other physical safety instructions.
When to use it
Use it to discuss assessment before commitment.
Keep in mind
No safe water-testing method or guarantee of risk-free assessment is established.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown