Don't put all your eggs in one basket means don't risk everything on a single option; spread the risk. People give this advice about money, jobs or university applications, and about their own mistake they say: I put all my eggs in one basket.
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don't put all your eggs in one basket; put all my/his eggs in one basket
- Don't put all your eggs in one basket — apply to at least three universities.
- I put all my eggs in one basket with that start-up and lost my savings.
- Our shop sells online and at markets, so we don't put all our eggs in one basket.
What changed
First versionDon't put all eggs in one basket — apply to a few companies.
RevisionDon't put all your eggs in one basket — apply to a few companies.
Your is easy to leave out, since all eggs seems to say enough. But the proverb always has your: it's about your resources and chances. Without it, the phrase loses its familiar shape and sounds like a clumsy paraphrase rather than well-known advice. Only your was added.
Hedge your bets means to protect yourself by not relying on one option right now, without the basket image: I applied to two jobs to hedge my bets. The proverb about eggs more often sounds like advice or a lesson learned from a mistake.
Your turn
Don't invest everything in one company — don't put all your ___ in one basket.
Show the answer
eggs — The proverb always has eggs: eggs break easily, so it's risky to keep them all in one basket. Chickens come from a different proverb, don't count your chickens, and don't fit here.
Write advice to a friend who is betting everything on one option. Say what they're planning and what else they should try.
You want to apply only to Google, but don't put all your eggs in one basket — send your CV to a few smaller companies too.
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