don't throw the baby out with the bathwater

don't throw the baby out with the bathwater

proverb Don't discard something valuable or important while disposing of something worthless. Why are we scrapping the entire project? Come on, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
See also: baby, bathwater, out, throw
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Prov. Do not discard something valuable in your eagerness to get rid of some useless thing associated with it. Jill: As long as I'm selling all the books Grandpa had, I might s well sell the bookcases, too. Jane: Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. You can use the bookcases for something else.
See also: baby, bathwater, out, throw
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • bathwater
  • Don’t make a federal case out of it!
  • don't cry before you are hurt
  • a thing you don't want is dear at any price
  • don't bet on it
  • cart before the horse, don't put/set the
  • all in (one's) head
  • don't bark if you can't bite
  • can't see a hole in a ladder
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