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put the cart before the horse

to do things in the wrong order

In Idioms & Sayings

In more detail

(idiom) to do things in the wrong order; to deal with effects before causes or results before necessary steps

Examples

• Don't put the cart before the horse—you need to finish your homework before you can go out to play.
• The company was putting the cart before the horse by advertising the product before it was even finished.

Nearby in Idioms & Sayings

penny for your thoughts, pull out all the stops, put all your eggs in one basket, see eye to eye, sit tight, steal someone's thunder