Sell not the hare's skin before you have caught him.

Meaning: Count your gains only after securing them; premature celebration invites disappointment and loss.

Origin: The same warning as "don't count your chickens before they hatch." French puts it with a bear — never sell the bear's skin before you have brought it down — and La Fontaine used the line in his fable The Bear and the Two Companions.

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From our false friends

  • Bra — Actually means 'good'. Det är bra = That's good.
  • Glass — Actually means 'ice cream'. En glass = an ice cream. For a glass (vessel), say ett glas.
  • Semester — Actually means 'holiday' or 'vacation'. A school semester is en termin.

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