cover your bases
Plan for contingencies
To cover your bases is to prepare for multiple possibilities or protect yourself against potential problems.
From baseball, where fielders position themselves at bases to catch runners.
The phrase suggests thoroughness and caution: I CC'd my manager just to cover my bases.
Make sure you cover all your bases before the meeting.
- prepareMake ready beforehand
- plan aheadArrange things in advance
- game planPredetermined approach to winning
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
safety net · plan B · back pocket · hedge · precaution · fallback · rainy day fund · insurance · due diligence · safeguard · thorough · anticipate · worst case · risk management · double-check · proactive · risk · strategize
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- self-interestself-interest, selfishness, egoism, look out for number one, every man for himself
- baseballbaseball, bat, pitchers, catchers, pitcher
- accountabilityaccountability, responsibility, accountable, take responsibility, answerability
- workplace inefficiencybusywork, duplication, overlap, rework, redundancy
cover your baseswing it
Act without preparation
throw caution to the wind · drop the ball · cut corners · shoot from the hip · slack off
cover your basestake a gamble
Risk for uncertain gain
roll the dice · risk it all · bet the farm · go for broke · throw caution to the wind
cover, covers, covered, covering, coverage, uncover, uncovers, uncovered, uncovering