Meaning & use
cross that bridge
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Meaning
phraseidiominformal
To deal with a problem only when it actually happens, not before.
Grammar: Usually used in the full phrase 'cross that bridge when you come to it'. It can also be used with other subjects: 'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'
Patterns
- cross that bridge when you come to it
- cross that bridge when we get there
Don't worry about the exam results now; we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
If the car breaks down, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
She said she'd cross that bridge when she came to it, rather than plan every detail.
Common combinations
- cross that bridge when you come to it
- Try not to stress about moving; we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
- cross that bridge when we get there
- Let's not decide now; we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
- cross that bridge later
- We can cross that bridge later if it becomes a problem.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deal with it later
- This is a more direct way to say the same thing, but it lacks the friendly, reassuring tone of the idiom.
Opposites
Commonly confused: cross that bridge or burn that bridge?
cross that bridge vs burn that bridge
To 'burn bridges' means to destroy a relationship or opportunity. 'Cross that bridge' is about delaying a decision, not destroying something.
Practice
A: 'What if it rains on the day of the picnic?' B: 'We'll _____ when we come to it.'
Choose one answer.
The idiom is 'cross that bridge when we come to it', meaning deal with the problem if it happens. 'Burn that bridge' means to destroy a relationship, which does not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cross that bridge”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.