look before you leap

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to consider the risks before acting

Why this phrase?

A proverb: check the ground before jumping, or the leap may land you in trouble.

Example

“Before signing anything, look before you leap.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

curiosity killed the cat Neutral · CEFR B2

asking too many questions can lead to trouble

don't count your chickens before they hatch Neutral · CEFR B2

used to warn someone not to assume success before it actually happens

once bitten, twice shy Neutral · CEFR B2

a bad experience makes you cautious about repeating it

better late than never Neutral · CEFR A2

Doing something after a delay is better than not doing it at all.

actions speak louder than words Neutral · CEFR B1

What you do matters more than what you say.

can of worms Informal · CEFR B1

a complicated problem that causes trouble the moment it is touched

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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