To act too early or prematurely, before the proper time. To begin something before receiving the appropriate signal or before conditions are right.
This phrase originates from track and field, where runners who start before the starting gun fires are disqualified. The expression moved from sports into general usage in the early 20th century, maintaining its sense of premature action.
The precision required in competitive racing makes this metaphor particularly apt - even a fraction of a second can mean the difference between victory and disqualification. This athletic origin gives the phrase a sense of both urgency and consequence that resonates in many contexts.
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