The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (153 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
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Don't put all your EGGS in one basket
Don't chance everything on a single venture, but spread your risk. To
put all one's eggs in one basket
is commonly used as a metaphorical phrase.
1662
Italian Proverbial Phrases
125
To put all ones Eggs in a Paniard,
viz.
to hazard all in one bottom [ship].
1710
Proverbs
344
Don't venture all your Eggs in One Basket.
1894
‘’
Pudd'nhead Wilson
in
Century Mag.
XLVII. VI. 817
Behold, the fool saith, ‘Put not all thine eggs in the one basket’—which is but a manner of saying, ‘Scatter your money and your attention’; but the wise man saith, ‘Put all your eggs in the one basket and—
watch that basket
.’
1935
England made Me
II. ii.
It must seem odd my asking you like this, but I've never put so many eggs into one basket before.
1967
&
English Proverbs Explained
46
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
1982
&
Life & Death on Corporate Battlefield
iii.
The most compelling reason for large companies to expand in several directions is simply to avoid the danger of putting all their eggs in one basket.
prudence

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