To put the cart before the horse means to reverse the proper order of things, so you’re doing or thinking about something in the wrong sequence. It’s like trying to move a cart in front of the horse meant to pull it.
This expression originated from a time when life revolved around simpler but profound truths drawn from everyday observations. Idioms like this one are figurative words and phrases that help us encapsulate our ideas and emotions in more relatable ways.
Stick with me as I take a moment to explain the meaning and origin of this phrase and show you how to use it in sentence examples.
Putting the cart before the horse is an idiom that signifies doing things in an illogical order or sequence.
Do you have Pinterest boards dedicated to how your home décor should look like, but you haven’t even bought a house yet? (Guilty!) That’s pretty much what putting the cart before the horse looks like. The idiom underscores the importance of doing things in their logical sequence: buy a house, then plan décor.
The idiom putting the cart before the horse comes from a period when horses and carts were the primary transportation method. This metaphor is significant in societies that rely on horse-drawn transport. It represents the concept of doing things in the right order.
The English writer John Heywood is associated with an early use of this idiom. However, he used a slightly different phrase in his 1546 proverbs collection. He wrote, “To tourne the cat in the pan, Or set the cart before the horse.” Though it is not identical to the modern version of the idiom, the meaning of maintaining the correct order is similar.
The phrase as we know it today was first recorded in English in 1589 in George Puttenham’s “The arte of English Poesie.” He wrote, “We call it in English proverb, the cart before the horse, the Greeks call it Histeron proteron.”
In summary, the exact origin of the idiom “putting the cart before the horse” is not clear. However, it has been part of the English language for centuries, highlighting the importance of following a natural or logical order.
Putting the cart before the horse is a timeless cautionary phrase against hasty and out-of-order decisions. It reminds us to pace ourselves and approach tasks logically. Now that you’ve got this one down pat, check out my other idiomatic guides!
Link nội dung: https://career.edu.vn/youre-putting-the-cart-a52202.html