proverb · Words worth keeping
It's not over till it's over.
It's not over till it's over.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying repeats that an event is not over until it ends. It cautions against treating an unfinished situation as a settled result.
What the words are saying
The apparent repetition gives emphasis to remaining uncertainty. A useful application distinguishes a likely outcome from a final one without promising a reversal. Decisions may still need to use the best available information before everything is complete.
Everyday example
A group labels an interim result provisional while continuing the work needed to finish.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish a forecast from a final outcome.
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What it does not mean
An unfinished situation does not guarantee change or require postponing every decision.
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 471; PDF page 69
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.