Explaining “Do not put the cart before the horse”

What does it mean?

The phrase means to do things in the correct order or sequence, and not to jump ahead to a later step before finishing an earlier, more fundamental one.

Tone

Origin

The expression is a proverb that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the impractical idea of placing a cart before a horse rather than behind it, thereby preventing it from moving properly.