hold your horses
Meaning
A way to tell someone to slow down, be patient, or wait before acting or deciding.
Origin
From the literal need to restrain horses (especially before vehicles started moving). It became a figurative way to tell someone to stop rushing and wait.
Notes
A mildly admonishing, informal way to tell someone to slow down or wait. Can sound a bit bossy; soften with “hey” or “just” in polite contexts.
Examples
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Hold your horses—let me finish explaining before you decide.
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Hold your horses, we still need to double-check the numbers.
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I know you’re excited, but hold your horses until the results are official.
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Hold your horses; the meeting isn’t over yet.
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Hold your horses and read the instructions before you start assembling it.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used in the imperative: “Hold your horses!” or preceded by “Hey/Just.” “Your” can change (hold on/hold up are alternatives), but “hold your horses” is the fixed idiom.
Synonyms
- wait a minute
- slow down
- take it easy
- hold on
- hang on
Antonyms
- hurry up
- rush
- get a move on