put all one's eggs in one basket

verb

To rely on a single source (as of income), rather than diversifying.

“They felt that buying more real estate than they already had would be putting all their eggs in one basket.”

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Meanings

verbput all one's eggs in one basket (third-person singular simple present puts all one's eggs in one basket, present participle putting all one's eggs in one basket, simple past and past participle put all one's eggs in one basket)

present singular third person puts all one's eggs in one basket · participle present putting all one's eggs in one basket

  1. idiomaticTo rely on a single source (as of income), rather than diversifying.

    They felt that buying more real estate than they already had would be putting all their eggs in one basket.

    2 more examples

    Fortunately, Bryant ignored that advice and doubled down on his dream. “I thought, ‘If this is so hard to accomplish, how in the world am I going to accomplish it if I don’t put all my eggs in one basket? If I don’t focus 100 percent on this, I’m never going to get there.’”

    2016 March 30, Jane Wells, “Someone told Kobe Bryant he shouldn’t play basketball”, in CNBC

    BR had a policy of not putting all of its eggs in one basket when it came to procuring rolling stock, with locomotives and multiple units built by a variety of manufacturers.

    2024 August 21, Pip Dunn, “When Sprinters left the starting blocks”, in RAIL, number 1016, page 48

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 把所有雞蛋放在一個籃子裡 /把所有鸡蛋放在一个篮子里
  • 把所有雞蛋放在一個籃子裡 /把所有鸡蛋放在一个篮子里 (bǎ suǒyǒu jīdàn fàng zài yīgè lánzi lǐ)to rely on a single source
Danish sætte alt på ét kort, sætte alt på ét bræt
  • sætte alt på ét kortto rely on a single source
  • sætte alt på ét brætto rely on a single source
Dutch al je eieren in één mand zetten, alles op één kaart zetten
  • al je eieren in één mand zettento rely on a single source
  • alles op één kaart zettento rely on a single source
Finnish panna kaikki munat samaan koriin
  • panna kaikki munat samaan koriinto rely on a single source
French mettre tous ses œufs dans le même panier
  • mettre tous ses œufs dans le même panierto rely on a single source
German alles auf eine Karte setzen, alle Eier in einen Korb legen
  • alles auf eine Karte setzento rely on a single source
  • alle Eier in einen Korb legento rely on a single source
Hungarian mindent egy lapra tesz fel
  • mindent egy lapra tesz felto rely on a single source
Irish bheith ag brath ar rud amháin
  • bheith ag brath ar rud amháinto rely on a single source
Japanese 一つのことに全てを賭ける
  • 一つのことに全てを賭ける (hitotsu no koto ni subete o kakeru)to rely on a single source
Polish stawiać wszystko na jedną kartę, postawić wszystko na jedną kartę
  • stawiać wszystko na jedną kartęto rely on a single source
  • postawić wszystko na jedną kartęto rely on a single source
Russian класть все я́йца в одну́ корзи́ну, ста́вить всё на ка́рту
  • класть все я́йца в одну́ корзи́ну (klastʹ vse jájca v odnú korzínu)to rely on a single source
  • ста́вить всё на ка́рту (stávitʹ vsjo na kártu)to rely on a single source
Spanish jugárselo todo a una carta
  • jugárselo todo a una cartato rely on a single source
Swedish lägga alla ägg i samma korg
  • lägga alla ägg i samma korgto rely on a single source
Cite this entry
APA

put all one's eggs in one basket. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20all%20one's%20eggs%20in%20one%20basket

MLA

“put all one's eggs in one basket.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20all%20one's%20eggs%20in%20one%20basket. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put all one's eggs in one basket,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20all%20one's%20eggs%20in%20one%20basket.

Source: put all one's eggs in one basket on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.