Hold your horses

Meaning

The idiom "hold your horses" means to wait patiently or take a moment to think before making a decision or taking action. It can also mean to control one's emotions, particularly when things are happening too quickly or unexpectedly.

Usage

• I always tell my clients to hold their horses and not make any rash decisions until they have all the information they need.
• When my boss suddenly asked me to lead a project, I held my horses for a moment and thought about whether I had the skills and experience necessary for the job.
• After hearing her friend's breakup news, Sarah held her horses and waited until she was ready to talk before sharing her own story.
• When I received the unexpected phone call from my boss, I held my horses and tried to focus on the conversation instead of getting overwhelmed with emotions.
• The team held their horses for a few minutes before making a decision on how to tackle the problem during their meeting. The usage of this idiom can vary depending on the context. For example, it may be used in a more serious or professional setting when discussing important decisions or actions, while in a more casual setting it may be used to encourage someone to slow down and take a moment to think before making a choice.

Roots and History

The idiom "hold your horses" dates back to at least the 16th century and has been used in various forms throughout history. One of the earliest recorded uses of the phrase can be found in a collection of proverbs from 1540, which includes the saying "Hold up thy hands like unto the horse, that thou mayest not feel any unkind blow." This early form of the idiom suggests that it was used to convey the idea of being patient and avoiding rash decisions or actions. Over time, the phrase has evolved and taken on a more figurative meaning. It is now commonly used to refer to waiting patiently or taking a moment to think before making a decision or taking action. The idiom's usage has also become more widespread and is now commonly used in both English-speaking countries and other languages around the world.

Synonyms in English

• Wait it out
• Give it some time
• Take a step back
• Hold off for a moment
• Pause before acting

Synonyms in other languages

• Espera un momento (Spanish) - Wait for a moment
• Attendez (French) - Wait or delay
• 等待 (Mandarin Chinese) - Wait or delay
• Wartu (Swahili) - Wait for
• Chakachaka (Maasai) - Wait patiently

Similar Idioms

• like a bat out of hell

• the early bird catches the worm

• bring home the bacon