Idiom Topics
The Ubiquitous Essentials
10- On the other hand
- At the end of the day
- In the long run
- Bear in mind
- A piece of cake
- Keep an eye on
- Out of the blue
- Rule of thumb
- So far, so good
- Behind the scenes
Everyday Casual & Workplace
10- Under the weather
- Call it a day
- Up in the air
- Wrap your head around
- Break the ice
- Get out of hand
- Go the extra mile
- Touch base
- Hit the nail on the head
- Cut corners
Problem Solving & Interaction
10- See eye to eye
- Read between the lines
- Take it with a grain of salt
- Get the hang of it
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- The elephant in the room
- Hit the ground running
- Play it by ear
- Bite the bullet
- Sit on the fence
Decisions & Perspectives
9- Jump on the bandwagon
- Cross that bridge when we come to it
- The best of both worlds
- A blessing in disguise
- Once in a blue moon
- Pull someone's leg
- Miss the boat
- Better late than never
- Get your act together
Colorful & Traditional
10- Spill the beans
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Go back to the drawing board
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Actions speak louder than words
- A penny for your thoughts
- Break a leg
- Hit the sack
- Beat around the bush
Academic & Formal Discourse
10- Bear fruit
- Pave the way
- Shed light on
- Go hand in hand
- Tip the scales
- Fly in the face of
- Bring to the table
- Turn a blind eye
- Draw a blank
- State of the art
Emotions & Reactions
10- Over the moon
- Down in the dumps
- On edge
- Blow off steam
- Keep your cool
- Drive someone up the wall
- On cloud nine
- A weight off my shoulders
- At your wits' end
- Thrilled to bits
Effort, Success, & Failure
10- Start from scratch
- Pass with flying colors
- Fall flat
- Go down the drain
- Keep your head above water
- Pay off
- Throw in the towel
- Make headway
- Uphill battle
- Back to square one
Time, Speed, & Urgency
10- Beat the clock
- At the eleventh hour
- Around the clock
- In the nick of time
- Drag your feet
- Time flies
- Make up for lost time
- Call time on
- Ahead of the curve
- On the spur of the moment
Resources, Money, & Value
10- Make ends meet
- Foot the bill
- Break the bank
- Tighten your belt
- Bang for your buck
- A drop in the ocean
- Make a killing
- On a shoestring budget
- Worth your weight in gold
- Pay top dollar
Cross that bridge when we come to it
Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Cross that bridge when we come to it" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourDecisions & Perspectives collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.
Cross that bridge when we come to it
To deal with a problem or a difficult situation only when it actually happens, rather than worrying about it beforehand.
History & Origin
The idiom is widely believed to have originated from an old proverb often attributed to the American diplomat and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in the 19th century, who wrote about not crossing a bridge until you reach it. The phrase grew popular as a metaphor for avoiding unnecessary anxiety about future obstacles that may never materialize. It eventually evolved into its modern conversational form, emphasizing practical, step-by-step problem-solving.
Examples
We don't know yet if the budget will be cut next quarter, so let's cross that bridge when we come to it and focus on finishing this project first.
Don't stress about what you'll wear to the graduation party next month; we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
While future researchers may struggle to regulate this technology, current policymakers prefer to cross that bridge when they come to it, prioritizing immediate innovation over long-term oversight.
When asked how the team would handle a potential injury to their star quarterback, the coach replied that they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
Our organization faces potential challenges regarding expansion overseas, but we must cross that bridge when we come to it, ensuring our domestic foundation is secure first.
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?
A. We need to cross that bridge when we come to it immediately because the deadline for submitting our application is tomorrow at noon.
B. I always cross that bridge when I come to it by studying for all my final exams three weeks in advance so I am perfectly prepared.
C. Instead of worrying about how we will pay for university in five years, let's just focus on saving what we can now and cross that bridge when we come to it.
D. She was so angry about the traffic jam that she decided to cross that bridge when she came to it by honking her horn repeatedly.