ProverbWisdomEnglish origin1688

Measure twice, cut once

Meaning: Take time to plan carefully before acting, to avoid costly and irreversible mistakes.

Origin: A craftsman's rule from carpentry and tailoring: a cut cannot be undone, so check the measurement first. Older versions set the number at seven, as Russian still does, and a Cheshire proverb of 1688 has "score twice before you cut once."

Equivalents in German and Russian

  • German: Erst wägen, dann wagen (literally: First weigh, then dare)
  • Russian: Семь раз отмерь, один раз отрежь (Sem' raz otmer', odin raz otrezh') (literally: Measure seven times, cut once)

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