proverb · Words worth keeping
Don't cross a bridge until you come to it.
Don't cross a bridge until you come to it.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying delays crossing a bridge until reaching it. As an analogy, do not settle a future problem before it becomes the relevant decision.
What the words are saying
The sequence of travel separates anticipation from the moment of action. A qualified application recognises when worry is premature while still allowing useful preparation. The phrase does not make all planning needless or provide instructions for crossing a real bridge.
Everyday example
Someone notes a future decision and prepares relevant information without trying to resolve every detail immediately.
When to use it
Use it to discuss timing of decisions alongside appropriate preparation.
What it does not mean
Future planning is not automatically pointless, and no physical crossing guidance is given.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 581; PDF page 84
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.