ROGET'S THESAURUS OF ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES ...

eckon one's chickens before they are hatched, count one's chickens before they are
hatched, reckon without one's host; catch at straws; trust to a broken reed, lean on a
broken reed.
Adj. rash, incautious, indiscreet; imprudent, improvident, temerarious; uncalculating † ;
heedless; careless &c (neglectful) 460; without ballast, heels over head, head over heels;
giddy &c (inattentive) 458; wanton, reckless, wild, madcap; desperate, devil-may-care.
hot-blooded, hotheaded, hotbrained † ; headlong, headstrong; breakneck; foolhardy;
harebrained; precipitate, impulsive.
overconfident, overweening; venturesome, venturous; adventurous, Quixotic, fire
eating, cavalier; janty † , jaunty, free and easy.
off one's guard &c (inexpectant) 508 [Obs.].
Adv. post haste, a corps perdu [Fr.], hand over head, tete baissee [Fr.], headforemost † ;
happen what may, come what may.
Phr. neck or nothing, the devil being in one; non semper temeritas est felix [Lat.] [Livy];
paucis temeritas est bono multis malo [Lat.] [Phaedrus].
864. Caution -- N. caution; cautiousness &c adj.; discretion, prudence, cautel † , heed,
circumspection, calculation, deliberation.
foresight &c 510; vigilance &c 459; warning &c 668.
coolness &c adj.; self-possession, self-command; presence of mind, sang froid [Fr.];
well-regulated mind; worldly wisdom, Fabian policy.
V. be cautious &c adj.; take care, take heed, take good care; have a care mind, what one
is about; be on one's guard &c (keep watch) 459; make assurance doubly sure [Macbeth].
bespeak &c (be early) 132.
think twice, look before one leaps, count the cost, look to the main chance, cut one's
coat according to one's cloth; feel one's ground, feel one's way; see how the land lies &c
(foresight) 510; wait to see how the cat jumps; bridle one's tongue; reculer pour mieux
sauter &c (prepare) 673 [Fr.]; let well alone, let well enough alone; let sleeping dogs lie,
ne pas reveiller le chat qui dort [Fr.], don't wake a sleeping cat.
keep out of harm's way, keep out of troubled waters; keep at a respectful distance,
stand aloof; keep on the safe side, be on the safe side.
husband one's resources &c 636.
caution &c (warn) 668.
Adj. cautious, wary, guarded; on one's guard &c (watchful) 459; cavendo tutus [Lat.]; in
medio tutissimus [Lat.]; vigilant.
careful, heedful; cautelous † , stealthy, chary, shy of, circumspect, prudent, discreet,
politic; sure-footed &c (skillful) 698.
unenterprising, unadventurous, cool, steady, self-possessed; overcautious.
Adv. cautiously &c adj..
Int. have a care!,
Phr. timeo Danaos [Lat.] [Vergil]; festina lente [Lat.].
ante victoriam ne canas triumphum [Lat.], don't sing out victory before the triumph;
give, every man thine ear but few thy voice [Hamlet]; he who laughs last laughs best, il
rit bien qui rit le dernier [Fr.]; ni firmes carta que no leas ni bebas agua que no veas
[Sp.]; nescit vox missa reverti [Lat.] [Horace]; love all, trust a few [All's Well]; noli
irritare leones [Lat.]; safe bind safe find; if it ain't broke, don't fix it [Bert Lance].