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What is the meaning of the saying 'don't count your chickens before they are hatched'?

In: Idioms and Slang

Answer:

Don't assume that you will get something. Wait until you actually have it.
It means to not plan something out and act as if it is going to happen, as it might not go through or it might go wrong.

It's saying don't expect the ideal conditions for something to happen in the future; like if you have many eggs don't state they will all hatch because normally the ideal condition (all the eggs growing to healthy chickens) will not occur, and a dozen eggs could produce less than 12 chicks, etc.

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First answer by Yrjo. Last edit by Yrjo. Contributor trust: 114 Question popularity: 248 [recommend question].

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