don't count your chicks

alternative don't count your chickens

1. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of don't count your chicks before they're hatched.

   “I figure between fifteen and seventeen hours. She’s already coming out of rigor.” / Dina did a fast calculation. “So that would be somewhere between four and six p.m. yesterday.” / “Don’t count your chicks, Lieutenant. It’s not over ’til the fat lady sings.” / “I’m approximating. Cause?”

   1988, Jack Early [pseudonym; Sandra Scoppettone], chapter 2, in Donato & Daughter, New York, N.Y.: E. P. Dutton, →ISBN, page 15

   2 more examples

   Angie, Margaret, and Mary joined them in chortling as their mates and sons went about the adult game. / “Mine’s longer than yours,” said one. / “Hell, it is not,” answered another. / Joe said, “Wait a minute, guys, don’t count your chicks. We haven’t measured Freddy’s or mine yet. Right, Fred?”

   2019, Joan T. Petrosine, “Whew”, in Family Corners: Their Children Within, Meadville, Pa.: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

   “Good work, Jackson.” Doreen Heckle-Flipper and a couple other penguins from the Mom Squad came shuffling over. “I think we’re soon gonna have to start calling you Mayor Rockflopper!” / The Games official next to them shook her head. “Don’t count your chicks. Look up there!” / The head scarf-wearing grandma penguin who’d been behind Jackson in the line bounded across the tightrope above them, almost in one leap.

   2020, Sam Hay, chapter 10, in Golden Egg (Spy Penguins), New York, N.Y.: Square Fish, published 2021, →ISBN