keep one's powder dry
Maintain tactical readiness
To keep one's powder dry is to remain prepared for action while waiting for the right moment.
The phrase comes from the need to protect gunpowder from moisture—wet powder won't fire.
It usually implies caution and readiness rather than immediate action: We'll keep our powder dry until we see how the market reacts.
Often paired with advice to stay calm or patient.
- gunpowderCombustible propellant mixture
- alertnessActive mental awareness
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- vigilanceState of keen awareness
- musketsEarly shoulder-fired guns
discretion · strategy · anticipation · ammunition · hold one's fire · deliberation · warfare · contingency · readiness · be prepared · circumspection · preparation · carefulness · patience · soldiers · battlefields · armories · foresight
keep one's powder drygo all in
Wager everything available
shoot one's bolt · show one's cards · go for broke · bet the farm · throw caution to the wind
keep one's powder dryjump the gun
Start before permitted
go off half-cocked · fly off the handle · rush in · shoot from the hip · throw caution to the wind
keeps, keeper, keepers, keeping, powder, powders, powdered, powdering, powdery