jumped the gun
Acted too soon
To jump the gun is to act prematurely—to start before the signal or move forward before conditions are right.
The phrase comes from racing, where a runner who leaves before the starting pistol has jumped the gun.
The company jumped the gun by announcing the merger before the deal was finalized.
I may have jumped the gun asking her to move in after two weeks.
- false startPremature beginning violation
- starting pistolDevice signaling race commencement
- preemptiveActing to forestall
- prematureOccurring before expected
- ahead of scheduleBefore the planned time
rushing · hasty · impetuosity · pulled the trigger · trigger-happy · knee jerk reaction · anticipate · precipitate · overconfidence · impulsive · recklessness · race · impatient · mishap · overzealousness · anxiety · off to the races · eagerness
jumped the gunbided one's time
Waited for right moment
held back · held off · kept one's powder dry · sat tight · held one's horses
jumped the gunslept on it
due diligence · erred on the side of caution · played it safe · dotted the i's and crossed the t's
jump, jumped, jumping, jumps, jumper, jumpers, gunned, gunning, gunner