jump the gun
idiom/dʒʌmp ðə ɡʌn/
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Jump the gun means to act too soon, before the right moment has arrived. It comes from athletics, where a runner who starts before the starting gun fires has 'jumped the gun.'
📖 Meanings
1to act too soon, before the right time
"Don't jump the gun — wait for the official results." — Don't act too soon — wait for the official results.
2to do something prematurely
"They jumped the gun and announced it too soon." — They acted too soon and announced it before they should have.
🔄 Related phrases
💬 Common patterns
jump the gundon't jump the gunjumped the gun
❓ How do you say you acted too soon, before the right time?