What does ‘don't count your chickens before they hatch’ mean?
To “don't count your chickens before they hatch” means to don't rely on gains you haven't yet secured. The proverb goes back to Aesop's fable of the milkmaid. Brewer's records the sentiment as a long-standing English proverb.
Origin
- The proverb goes back to Aesop's fable of the milkmaid. Brewer's records the sentiment as a long-standing English proverb.
How to use it
- A caution against premature celebration.
- Example: The deal isn't signed — don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.