Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket (Origin)

search our site by Craig Shrives

What Is the Origin of the Saying "Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket"?

The term "don't put all your eggs in one basket" means do not put all your resources into just one possibility.

Examples of Use:

• You should create a diverse portfolio of shares. In other words, don't put all your eggs in one basket.
• Develop a range of skills. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
• I lost a lot when the travel industry collapsed, but I'll be okay. I didn't put all my eggs in one basket.

This proverb is advice to avoid concentrating all effort and resources in just one venture, otherwise you will lose everything if that venture fails. It is a very old saying and probably originates from Spain from at least the early 17th century. Here is the full version of the proverb in Spanish:

• "No pongas todos los huevos en la misma cesta, para prevenir un desastre en caso de que la cesta se rompa."
(Do not put all the eggs in the same basket, to prevent a disaster in case the basket breaks.)

This proverb is commonly attributed to the book "Don Quixote" by Spanish author Miguel Cervantes in 1605.

• "To withdraw is not to run away, and to stay is no wise action when there's more reason to fear than to hope; 'tis the part of a wise man to keep himself today for tomorrow, and not venture all his eggs in one basket." (from "Don Quixote")

Previous and Next Sayings

Test Your Knowledge of English Proverbs and Idioms

Ready for the Test?

More Proverbs, Sayings, and Idioms