lock the stable door after the horse is stolen

To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. My father quit smoking after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, but I'm afraid he's locking the stable door after the horse is stolen.

See also: after, door, horse, lock, stable, stolen

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

lock the barn/stable door after the horse has bolted/is stolen, to

To take precautions after damage has been done. This proverb, found in many languages, first appeared in a French collection of ca. 1190 and found its way into a Middle English manuscript, Douce MS, by about 1350. It has been repeated ever since. Stanley Walker poked fun at it (The Uncanny Knacks of Mr. Doherty, 1941): “He locked the stable door while they were putting the cart before the horse.”

See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock, stable

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

See also:

lock the barn door after the horse has bolted
lock the barn/stable door after the horse has bolted/is stolen, to
lock the stable door after the horse has bolted
stolen
closing the stable door after the horse has bolted
close the barn door after the horse has bolted
close the stable door after the horse has bolted
shut/lock/close the stable door after the horse has bolted
shut the stable door after the horse has bolted
mend (one's) fences

词组	lock the stable door after the horse is stolen
释义	lock the stable door after the horse is stolen lock the stable door after the horse is stolen To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. My father quit smoking after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, but I'm afraid he's locking the stable door after the horse is stolen. See also: after, door, horse, lock, stable, stolen Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. lock the barn/stable door after the horse has bolted/is stolen, to To take precautions after damage has been done. This proverb, found in many languages, first appeared in a French collection of ca. 1190 and found its way into a Middle English manuscript, Douce MS, by about 1350. It has been repeated ever since. Stanley Walker poked fun at it (The Uncanny Knacks of Mr. Doherty, 1941): “He locked the stable door while they were putting the cart before the horse.” See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock, stable The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: lock the barn door after the horse has bolted lock the barn/stable door after the horse has bolted/is stolen, to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted stolen closing the stable door after the horse has bolted close the barn door after the horse has bolted close the stable door after the horse has bolted shut/lock/close the stable door after the horse has bolted shut the stable door after the horse has bolted mend (one's) fences
随便看	won't bother me any won't breathe a word won't budge an inch won't hear a word against (someone or something) won't hear of won't hold water won't take no for an answer won't wash Won't you come in? woo woo away wood wood butcher wooden wooden kimono wooden mare wooden overcoat wooden spoonist wooden suit wooden top wood pussy wood-pussy woods are full of woods colt woodshed