holding one's horses
Pausing before acting
Holding one's horses means waiting or exercising patience, typically used as a command to someone acting too hastily: Hold your horses—let me finish explaining.
The image is of reining in eager horses ready to bolt.
The phrase usually appears as an imperative, often with mild exasperation.
- waitingRemaining in expectation
- wait a minuteRequest for pause
- cool your jetsCommand to calm oneself
- pump the brakesUrge caution or restraint
- impulse controlRegulating sudden urges
reining in · pausing · take a breath · calmness · easy does it · forethought · restraint · caution · circumspection · delaying · self-control · prudence · whoa · carefulness · hesitating · deliberation · postponement · self-discipline
holding one's horsesrushing in
Entering with haste
jumping the gun · flying off the handle · plunging in · throwing caution to the wind · shooting from the hip
holding one's horsesrushing
Rapid forward movement
hurrying · speeding up · pressing on · pushing forward · accelerating
holds, holding, holder, holders, beholden, behold, horse, horses, horsed