put the cart before the horse: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 1.

    general Englishneutralidiomatic
    • To do things in the wrong order; to reverse the proper sequence of actions.
    • To give priority to secondary or dependent matters before addressing the primary or necessary prerequisites.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Planning the marketing campaign before finalizing the product is really putting the cart before the horse.

      Planear la campaña de marketing antes de finalizar el producto es hacer las cosas al revés.

    • Don’t put the cart before the horse by buying furniture before you’ve signed the house contract.

      No hagas las cosas al revés comprando muebles antes de firmar el contrato de la casa.

    • They were putting the cart before the horse when they started hiring staff before securing funding.

      Estaban haciendo las cosas en el orden incorrecto al contratar antes de asegurar el financiamiento.

  • 2.

    general Englishinformalcritical
    • To act prematurely by assuming outcomes or making plans before the basic conditions or foundations are in place.

    Examples

    Beta

    • You’re putting the cart before the horse by celebrating success before the project is even finished.

      Estás actuando prematuramente al celebrar el éxito antes de que el proyecto esté terminado.

    • It’s putting the cart before the horse to assume the deal will close without final negotiations.

      Es actuar prematuramente suponer que el acuerdo se cerrará sin negociaciones finales.

    • By ordering materials before getting approval, they put the cart before the horse and risked wasting money.

      Al pedir materiales antes de obtener aprobación, hicieron las cosas al revés y arriesgaron dinero.

  • 3.

    • To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities; to put something inconsequential as more important than something more essential. #Examples "Picking out paint colors before we even built our house is putting the cart before the horse"

Examples:

  • EN: But you've put the cart before the horse.
    ES: ¡Pero has empezado la casa por el tejado!
  • EN: He's not the first man to put the cart before the horse, but three carts and no horse?
    ES: Él no es el primer hombre que pone el carro antes que el caballo pero, ¿tres carros y ningún caballo?
  • EN: Never put the cart before the horse.
    ES: No empecemos la casa por el tejado.
  • EN: - We mustn't put the cart before the horse.
    ES: - No debemos poner el carro delante del caballo.
  • EN: Let's not put the cart before the horse here with that stuff.
    ES: Hablar de esto es poner el carro delante del caballo.
  • EN: It goes: Don't put the cart before the horse.
    ES: Se dice una gallina con un cuchillo.
  • EN: I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but there's definitely something there. Yeah.
    ES: Sí.
  • EN: You put the cart before the horse.
    ES: Has puesto el carro delante del caballo.
  • EN: Do not put the cart before the horse.
    ES: No ponga el carro delante del caballo.
    ES: Esto nos evitará... tener los dos pies en el mismo zapato.
  • EN: Well, maybe... I put the cart before the horse.
    ES: Bueno, tal vez... me precipité un poco.
  • EN: Don't put the cart before the horse.
    ES: No pongas el carro delante del caballo.
    ES: No vendas la leche antes de ordeñar la vaca.
  • EN: Do not put the cart before the horse!
    ES: ¡No ponga el carro delante del burro!
  • EN: Genius is the ability to put the cart before the horse and make them both run.
    ES: Ser un genio es tener la habilidad de poner la carreta delante del caballo y hacer que ambos avancen.
  • EN: You're trying to put the cart before the horse.
    ES: ¿No sabes el orden de las cosas?
  • EN: I think I've put the cart before the horse.
    ES: Creo que he puesto el carro antes que los bueyes.

Related Idioms

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

put the cart before the horse | Idiomator