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What does “hedge your bets” mean?
Meaning, example sentence and a quick practice question.
C1
To protect yourself against loss by not fully committing to one option
“He hedged his bets by applying for several jobs at once.”
Say it smoothly: “hedge-yer-bets”
From the C1 lesson Decisions, Decisions (making decisions).
Quick check
What does “hedge your bets” mean?
Teaching this phrase?“hedge your bets” is part of a ready-to-teach lesson, with a reading, three exercises, speaking tasks and an answer key, in Everyday English Chunks C1 Pack 4 (Communication, Decisions and Habits).
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Related phrases
- weigh up the optionsto carefully consider the different choices available
- mull something overto think about something slowly and carefully over time
- have reservations aboutto have doubts or concerns about something, without fully rejecting it
- a leap of faitha decision to try something without certainty it will work
- a calculated riska risk taken after carefully considering the potential downsides
- go out on a limbto take a risk by doing or saying something that isn't safe or supported
- a gut feelingan instinct about something, not based on clear reasoning
- deliberate over somethingto think carefully and seriously about a decision, usually for some time
- make an informed decisionto decide based on good information and research