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English Idioms

“Jump the Gun”

Jump the Gun

Meaning:

  • rush into a decision

Frequency of Use: Medium to High

Sample Sentences

  1. Don’t jump the gun by buying that car right now. I suggest waiting a few weeks because the price might come down.
  2. Michael jumped the gun and quit his job before he had found another one. Now, he regrets his decision because he doesn’t have any money.
  3. If you don’t tell people the real reason why you and I broke up, people will jump the gun and think the worst of us. 

Conversation Questions

  1. Have you ever jumped the gun by judging someone you know (their personality or character) only to later find out that you were wrong? If so, what were the circumstances?

Speaking Situation

Last night, you went out to eat with some friends, and while you were at the restaurant, you notice that your father eating dinner with a woman that  you don’t know. They seem very friendly, and when your mom calls you later that evening, you casually mention this unusual encounter. Your mom blows up and jumps the gun by posting a message on Facebook on our father and this unknown woman. Later that evening, your dad comes home with this woman, and your mother loses her cool and yells at your dad. Your dad patiently listens and then introduces the family to his sister who he had just discovered just recently.

How do you think the mother will feel, knowing that she had jumped the gun by believing that your father was meeting someone secretly? What do think will happen next?

Language Activity

Sometimes, learners know the meaning of an idiom, but they don’t know how to use it correctly in conversation or writing. Thus, this activity checks your grammatical accuracy with the idiom so you become more confident in using it. 

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