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The early bird catches the worm

What's the meaning of the phrase 'The early bird catches the worm'?

Success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort.

What's the origin of the phrase 'The early bird catches the worm'?

This is first recorded in John Ray’s A collection of English proverbs 1670, 1678:

“The early bird catcheth the worm.”

Clearly, the title of the work indicates that this was considered proverbial even in the 17th century.

See the List of Proverbs.

See also: Carpe diem.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
The early bird catches the worm

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