to put the horse to the cart
1put the cart before the horse — To reverse the natural or sensible order of things • • • Main Entry: ↑cart put the cart before the horse see under ↑cart • • • Main Entry: ↑horse * * * put the cart before the horse phrase to do one thing before another thing that you should have …
2put the cart before the horse — See: CART BEFORE THE HORSE …
3put the cart before the horse — See: CART BEFORE THE HORSE …
4put the cart before the horse — (put) the cart before the horse to do something that should happen later before other things. Barnhart is putting the cart before the horse by building a stadium before a team has agreed to play there …
5put the cart before the horse — ► put the cart before the horse reverse the proper order or procedure. Main Entry: ↑cart …
6put the cart before the horse — verb To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities; to put something inconsequential as more important than something more essential. The hour had struck; and with it, as always, appeared the man. So it has ever been in the… …
7To put the cart before the horse — Cart Cart (k[aum]rt), n. [AS. cr[ae]t; cf. W. cart, Ir. & Gael. cairt, or Icel. kartr. Cf. {Car}.] 1. A common name for various kinds of vehicles, as a Scythian dwelling on wheels, or a chariot. Ph[oe]bus cart. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. A two… …
8put the cart before the horse — A person who puts the cart before the horse is doing things in the wrong order. Building a school before knowing the age of the population is putting the cart before the horse …
9put the cart before the horse — do things in the wrong order I think that he is putting the cart before the horse by talking about fixing up the house before he even buys it …
10put the cart before the horse — to do things in the wrong order. Deciding what to wear before you ve even been invited to the party is rather putting the cart before the horse, isn t it? …
