hedge your bets
/ˌhedʒ jə ˈbets/NEUTRAL · C1
Meaning
to avoid committing to one option so that you cannot lose
Examples
- 1I've applied to three universities to hedge my bets.
- 2The shop is hedging its bets by selling online as well as on the high street.
- 3Not knowing which band would turn up, the organisers hedged their bets and printed two sets of posters.
- 4Tom is hedging his bets by booking two holidays and cancelling one later.
- 5Why not hedge your bets and bring both a coat and sun cream?
Grammar
hedge and your change: hedges, hedging, hedged; hedged their bets. Keep bets plural. by plus an -ing form often says how.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about decisions
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →chop and changeto keep switching your plans or opinionsburn your bridgesto do something that makes it impossible to go back latera leap in the darka risky choice when you cannot know the resultthe die is casta decision has been made and now cannot be undonetake the plungeto finally decide to do something important or riskymake up your mindto decide what to do or which thing to choose
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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