
ProverbWisdom
English 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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