lʊk bɪˈfɔːr juː liːp
General
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- To observe before jumping
What does "look before you leap" mean?
- To consider consequences before taking action
- To be cautious and think things through
Examples
- Before you invest, look before you leap.
- I should have looked before I leaped into that job.
- Look before you leap—make sure you understand the contract.
Origin
Ancient proverb appearing in Aesop's fables. The advice to check where you're jumping before you leap.
How to use it
Advice for caution. Often said as a warning before major decisions.
Similar expressions
think twice
consider carefully
proceed with caution
Opposites
act impulsively
leap before you look
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "look before you leap" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.