cover your bases
Meaning
To take precautions and prepare for different possibilities so you’re protected if things change or go wrong.
Origin
From baseball: fielders “cover bases” to prevent runners from advancing safely. Figuratively, it came to mean taking steps to avoid being caught unprepared or blamed.
Notes
Common in work/business contexts meaning “just in case.” It can imply caution or sometimes mild self-protection (avoiding blame).
Examples
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Before the launch, we ran one more security audit to cover our bases.
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I emailed both the client and their assistant to cover my bases in case one of them missed it.
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Pack a light jacket and an umbrella to cover your bases—the weather changes fast here.
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Let’s save the files in two locations to cover our bases if the server goes down.
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He double-checked the contract details to cover his bases before signing.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as “cover your bases” (also “cover all your bases”). Can inflect: “covered our bases,” “covering his bases.” Often followed by “just in case…”
Synonyms
- take precautions
- play it safe
- hedge your bets
- prepare for contingencies
- plan ahead
Antonyms
- take a chance
- wing it
- leave it to fate