hedge one's bets

hedge one's bets
hedge one's bets
Fig. to reduce one's loss on a bet or on an investment by counterbalancing the loss in some way. •

Bob bet Ann that the plane would be late. He usually hedges his bets. This time he called the airline and asked about the plane before he made the bet.

•

John bought some stock and then bet Mary that the stock would go down in value in one year. He has hedged his bets perfectly. If the stock goes up, he sells it, pays off Mary, and still makes a profit. If it goes down, he reduces his loss by winning the bet he made with Mary.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • hedge one's bets — ► hedge one s bets avoid committing oneself when faced with a difficult choice. Main Entry: ↑hedge …   English terms dictionary

  • hedge one's bets — verb a) To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses b) To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping ones options open …   Wiktionary

  • hedge one's bets — avoid committing oneself when faced with a difficult choice. → hedge …   English new terms dictionary

  • hedge one's bets — protect oneself against loss …   English contemporary dictionary

  • hedge one's bets — avoid committing oneself when faced with a difficult choice …   Useful english dictionary

  • hedge — ► NOUN 1) a fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs. 2) a contract entered into or asset held as a protection against possible financial loss. 3) a word or phrase used to allow for additional possibilities or to avoid over… …   English terms dictionary

  • hedge — noun 1》 a fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs. 2》 a contract entered into or asset held as a protection against possible financial loss. 3》 a word or phrase used to allow for additional possibilities or to avoid over… …   English new terms dictionary

  • hedge — hedgeless, adj. /hej/, n., v., hedged, hedging. n. 1. a row of bushes or small trees planted close together, esp. when forming a fence or boundary; hedgerow: small fields separated by hedges. 2. any barrier or boundary: a hedge of stones. 3. an… …   Universalium

  • hedge — [[t]hɛdʒ[/t]] n. v. hedged, hedg•ing 1) bot a row of bushes or small trees planted close together, esp. when forming a fence or boundary; hedgerow 2) any barrier or boundary 3) an act or means of hedging: to buy gold as a hedge against… …   From formal English to slang

  • hedge your bets — phrase to organize a situation so that you have several choices available to you, in order to increase your chances of success People are evidently hedging their bets, looking to the future but not yet prepared to give up the past. Thesaurus: to… …   Useful english dictionary

  • hedge your bets — If you hedge your bets, you don t risk everything on one opportunity, but try more than one thing …   The small dictionary of idiomes

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