keeping one's powder dry
Maintaining combat readiness
Keeping one's powder dry means staying prepared and reserving resources for when they're truly needed.
The phrase comes from the era of muskets, when gunpowder had to stay dry to fire.
Today it usually describes holding back money, energy, or options rather than committing too early: The campaign is keeping its powder dry for the final weeks before the election.
- alertnessActive mental awareness
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- circumspectionCareful consideration of consequences
- playing it safeAvoiding unnecessary risk
- planningArranging for future events
vigilance · battle ready · strategy · readiness · calculation · resourcefulness · holding back · holding fire · biding one's time · anticipation · preparation · foresight · waiting game · wait and see · reserve · patience · contingency · strategic reserve
keeping one's powder dryshooting one's wad
Expending all reserves prematurely
keeping one's powder dryjumping the gun
Acting before appropriate time
flying off the handle · shooting from the hip · throwing caution to the wind · rushing in · damn the torpedoes
keeping one's powder drygoing all in
betting the farm · burning one's bridges · going for broke · overcommitting · crossing the Rubicon
keeping, keeps, keeper, keepers, powder, powders, powdered, powdering, powdery