count one's chickens before they're hatched

count one's chickens before they're hatched
{v. phr.}, {informal} To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences. * /When Jim said that he would be made captain of the team, John told him not to count his chickens before they were hatched./ * /Maybe some of your customers won't pay, and then where will you be? Don't count your chickens before they're hatched./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • count one's chickens before they are hatched — To plan or act on the basis of expectations or future results without conclusive evidence that they will be fulfilled • • • Main Entry: ↑chick count one s chickens before they are hatched see under ↑chick1 • • • Main Entry: ↑hatch …   Useful english dictionary

  • count\ one's\ chickens\ before\ they\ are\ hatched — v. phr. informal To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences: Don t count on things to turn out exactly as you …   Словарь американских идиом

  • count\ one's\ chickens\ before\ they're\ hatched — v. phr. informal To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences: Don t count on things to turn out exactly as you …   Словарь американских идиом

  • count one's chickens before they're hatched — {v. phr.}, {informal} To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences. * /When Jim said that he would be made… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • count one's chickens before they're hatched — assume that something will be successful before it is certain Don t count your chickens before they re hatched. You re spending your money and you don t even have a job yet …   Idioms and examples

  • not\ count\ one's\ chickens\ before\ they\ are\ hatched — v. phr. informal To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences: Don t count on things to turn out exactly as you …   Словарь американских идиом

  • count\ one's\ chickens\ until\ they\ are\ hatched — v. phr. informal To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences: Don t count on things to turn out exactly as you …   Словарь американских идиом

  • don’t count your chickens before they are hatched — An instruction not to make, or act upon, an assumption (usually favourable) which might turn out to be wrong. The metaphorical phrase to count one’s chickens is also used. c 1570 T. HOWELL New Sonnets C2 Counte not thy Chickens that vnhatched be …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • count — count1 W3S1 [kaunt] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(find the total)¦ 2¦(say numbers)¦ 3¦(be allowed)¦ 4¦(include)¦ 5¦(consider something)¦ 6¦(important)¦ 7 I/you can count somebody/something on (the fingers of) one hand 8 don t count your chickens (before they re… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • count — 1 /kaUnt/ verb 1 SAY NUMBERS also count up (I) to say numbers in their correct order (+ to): Sarah can count up to five now. | Try to count to ten before you lose your temper. 2 FIND THE TOTAL also count up (T) to count the people, objects,… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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