jump the gun
to start something too soon
TRANSLATION
jump the gun = etwas übereilen oder überstürzen, einen Frühstart hinlegen --- GOOGLE INDEX jump the gun: approximately 1,500,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
At last year's world championships in Daegu, South Korea, Bolt JUMPED THE GUN in the 100 meters and was eliminated from the most hyped event in all of track and field.
(ESPN)
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The report, "U.S. Nuclear Power Safety One Year After Fukushima," also criticizes the nuclear industry of JUMPING THE GUN by investing cheap and generic safety equipment before the NRC has even had time to examine if the equipment would actually help protect the public.
(The Guardian)
(ESPN)
---
The report, "U.S. Nuclear Power Safety One Year After Fukushima," also criticizes the nuclear industry of JUMPING THE GUN by investing cheap and generic safety equipment before the NRC has even had time to examine if the equipment would actually help protect the public.
(The Guardian)
Did you
know?
jump the gun
idiom
- to act, move, or begin something before the proper time
(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
---
In track and field and swimming competitions, a person called the starter initiates the races. The starter first makes the following announcements over the loudspeaker system:
- on your marks! = race participants are to take their place in their designated racing lanes
- set! = tells the race participants to establish a starting position
The starter then fires a gun to commence the race. It often happens that one of the participants moves before the gun is fired, which is called a false start.
This premature movement or motion is referred to as jumping. Thus jumping the gun means starting something too soon.
Track and field sports have given us other idioms that are used in everyday English. Below are a few examples.
- to have the inside track = to have a special position within an organization or a special relationship with a person that gives you advantages that other people do not have (He has the inside track on the sales manager job.)
- pass the baton = to give responsibility for something important to another person (He passed the baton to his brother after retiring from the family's company.)
- from scratch = from the beginning (We need to start the product design from scratch.) Note: This idiom stems from the practice of "scratching" a starting line in the ground.
- hit one's stride = to do one's best, to be in top form (They say most footballers hit their stride in their late twenties.)
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SYNONYMS
get a head start, beat someone to the punch, beat the gun, pre-empt
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Please don't jump the gun. Read the report carefully before making up your mind."
idiom
- to act, move, or begin something before the proper time
(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
---
In track and field and swimming competitions, a person called the starter initiates the races. The starter first makes the following announcements over the loudspeaker system:
- on your marks! = race participants are to take their place in their designated racing lanes
- set! = tells the race participants to establish a starting position
The starter then fires a gun to commence the race. It often happens that one of the participants moves before the gun is fired, which is called a false start.
This premature movement or motion is referred to as jumping. Thus jumping the gun means starting something too soon.
Track and field sports have given us other idioms that are used in everyday English. Below are a few examples.
- to have the inside track = to have a special position within an organization or a special relationship with a person that gives you advantages that other people do not have (He has the inside track on the sales manager job.)
- pass the baton = to give responsibility for something important to another person (He passed the baton to his brother after retiring from the family's company.)
- from scratch = from the beginning (We need to start the product design from scratch.) Note: This idiom stems from the practice of "scratching" a starting line in the ground.
- hit one's stride = to do one's best, to be in top form (They say most footballers hit their stride in their late twenties.)
---
SYNONYMS
get a head start, beat someone to the punch, beat the gun, pre-empt
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Please don't jump the gun. Read the report carefully before making up your mind."
