{"id":5792,"date":"2022-09-14T16:38:13","date_gmt":"2022-09-14T16:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=5792"},"modified":"2022-09-14T16:39:57","modified_gmt":"2022-09-14T16:39:57","slug":"a-stitch-in-time-saves-nine-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/a-stitch-in-time-saves-nine-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"A Stitch in Time Saves Nine \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Are you looking for a way to tell someone they should take immediate action to resolve a problem, or do they risk it getting out of hand in the future? You could say <strong><em>'a stitch in time saves nine.' <\/em><\/strong>This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n<h2>Meaning<\/h2>\n<p>The expression <em>'a stitch in time saves nine'<\/em> means <u>taking immediate action on a task prevents the need for more work later<\/u>. The original use of '<em>stitch in time' <\/em>involves the <u>prompt sewing of small holes or tears in a garment<\/u>, <u>saving the need to do more stitching at a later date.<\/u><\/p>\n<h2>Example Usage<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWhy don\u2019t you get organized to make you more productive and efficient at work? A stitch in time saves nine, and with the right preparation, you\u2019ll free up more hours in your day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA stitch in time saves nine. Taking the time to plan properly always results in higher productivity and better results.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you don\u2019t need the bathroom, let\u2019s skip this rest stop. A stitch in time saves nine, and we\u2019ll get to the vacation spot an hour earlier without taking the break.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy mom told me that a stitch in time saves nine. I have no idea what she\u2019s talking about. Why do old people always use these old-school sayings?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDidn\u2019t anyone tell you \u2018a stitch in time saves nine?\u2019 If you don\u2019t know what that means, I suggest you look into it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA stitch in time saves nine. Stop what you\u2019re doing right now and take action on the problem. If you don\u2019t tend to it right now, it will cost you more time fixing it later.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5793\" src=\"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine-120x120.jpg 120w, https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-5794\" src=\"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine2-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/A-Stitch-in-Time-Saves-Nine2.jpg 446w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Origin<\/h2>\n<p>The expression 'a stitch in time saves nine' originates from 18th-century England. The original use of the phrase described prompt patching or sewing of small holes or tears in clothing or textile materials. Stitching it as soon as possible prevents the tear or hole from getting bigger, requiring more repair work in the future.<\/p>\n<p>The phrase's first use refers to saving nine stitches in a repair job. However, this proverbial saying went on to describe any situation where taking immediate action to remedy it results in fewer problems down the road.<\/p>\n<p>A stitch in time saves nine first appears in 'Gnomologia: A Collection of the Proverbs, Maxims, and Adages' by Thomas Fuller. However, the term received mainstream adoption after appearing in Benjamin Franklin and Poor Richard's Almanack, published in 1732, where it appears as follows.<\/p>\n<p>\"A Stitch in Time May save nine.\"<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"A Stitch in Time Saves Nine - Proverb in English\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XEwR0Q3Kpbg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Phrases Similar to A Stitch in Time Saves Nine<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Be productive and efficient with your time.<\/li>\n<li>Time and tide wait for no man.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Phrases Opposite to A Stitch in Time Saves Nine<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Take your time.<\/li>\n<li>No rush.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What is the Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A stich in time saves nine.<\/li>\n<li>A stitch in time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Ways People May Say A Stitch in Time Saves Nine Incorrectly<\/h2>\n<p>The modern meaning of this idiomatic expression has nothing o do with stitches, clothing, or wounds. It\u2019s a way to tell people to be more careful with their time and planning. Using the phrase to describe haberdashery or injury treatments is incorrect.<\/p>\n<h2>Acceptable Ways to Phrase A Stitch in Time Saves Nine<\/h2>\n<p>You can use a stitch in time saves nine\u2019 when you want to tell someone to complete a task now to save time later. The phrase suits professional and social use. You could use it at work to tell your staff to remain proactive and identify problems before they become serious. You could use it at home to describe how packing the night before your trip saves you time and energy in the morning.<\/p>\n<p>The phrase \u2018a stitch in time saves nine\u2019 is a well-known idiomatic expression in English-speaking countries and communities. However, many poles use the shorter version of the term, \u2018a stitch in time,\u2019 without adding the rest of the saying. You can use the phrase when you want to tell people they should adjust their strategy to be more efficient.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-2\">Are you looking for a way to tell someone they should take immediate action to resolve a problem, or do they risk it getting out of hand in the future? You could say 'a stitch in time saves nine.' This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression 'a stitch in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5792"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5792"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5792\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9287,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5792\/revisions\/9287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}