Dont count your chickens before they hatch

Don't count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning

Don’t count on receiving some benefit until you actually have it.

Examples

I know you felt good about that exam, but you haven’t passed until you get the result – don’t count your chickens.

Where did it originate?

Britain, 16th century proverb.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

Hear the idiom spoken

More idioms about

How the idiom originated

Browse more Idioms

About the Author

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.