# 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.

## What it means

- The proverb goes back to Aesop's fable of the milkmaid. Brewer's records the sentiment as a long-standing English proverb.

## Action steps

1. A caution against premature celebration.
2. Example: The deal isn't signed — don't count your chickens before they hatch.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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