cross that bridge when one comes to it

English

Alternative forms

• cross that bridge when one gets there
• cross that bridge when one gets to it

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

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Verb

cross that bridge when one comes to it

1. (idiomatic) To deal with a problem or situation only when it arises.

   It's possible we'll eventually have more books than available space for them, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Antonyms

• cross a bridge before one comes to it

Derived terms

• burn that bridge when one comes to it

Translations

deal with something only when it arises

• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 船到橋頭自然直／船到桥头自然直 (syun⁴ dou³ kiu⁴ tau⁴ zi⁶ jin⁴ zik⁶), 船到桥头自然直 (syun⁴ dou³ kiu⁴ tau⁴ zi⁶ jin⁴ zik⁶)

  Mandarin: 船到橋頭自然直／船到桥头自然直 (zh) (chuán dào qiáotóu zìrán zhí), 船到桥头自然直 (zh) (chuán dào qiáotóu zì rán zhí)

• Finnish: ratkaistaan se ongelma vasta sitten, kun se tulee eteen
• French: on s’occupera de ce problème en temps voulu
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: kommt Zeit, kommt Rat (de)
• Hebrew: כְּשֶׁנַּגִּיעַ לַגֶּשֶׁר נַעֲבֹר אוֹתוֹ (kshenagí'a lagésher na'avór otó)
• Italian: ce ne preoccuperemo quando sarà il momento opportuno
• Russian: реша́ть пробле́мы по ме́ре поступле́ния (ru) (rešátʹ problémy po mére postuplénija)