pʊt ɔːl jɔːr eɡz ɪn wʌn ˈbæskɪt
Money & Finance
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Placing all eggs in a single container
What does "put all your eggs in one basket" mean?
- To risk everything on a single venture
- To depend entirely on one plan or option
Examples
- Don't put all your eggs in one basket—apply to multiple jobs.
- Diversify your investments; don't put all your eggs in one basket.
- She put all her eggs in one basket and lost everything.
Origin
Advice against carrying all eggs in one basket dates back to the 17th century. If the basket drops, all eggs break.
How to use it
Usually used as a warning. Classic advice for investment and life planning.
Similar expressions
risk everything
go all in
bet everything
Opposites
diversify
spread the risk
hedge your bets
Related idioms
- pay an arm and a leg
To pay an extremely high price
- make ends meet
To earn just enough money to cover basic expenses
- cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive
- money doesn't grow on trees
Money is not easily acquired; it must be earned
- break the bank
To cost too much money
- hit the jackpot
To achieve great success or win something valuable
Use it in a practice answer
Try "put all your eggs in one basket" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.