Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-12
Meaning: Verified- Meaning and lesson
It advises restraint before attempting to exceed another person's offer, rather than acting from immediate eagerness.
A pause can help distinguish a worthwhile response from a competitive impulse, especially when raising an offer may commit someone beyond what they had intended to pay.
- When it is used
Use it when a person is about to raise an offer merely because someone else has bid, and needs a reminder to consider their own limit first.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Be not too hasty to outbid another.