best laid plans

English

Etymology

Shortened form of “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”, translated from Scots “The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, / Gang aft agley,” from To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough by Robert Burns (text and reading of poem).

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Noun

best laid plans (singular best laid plan)

(idiomatic) A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the ability to fully or even partially execute them is uncertain.

Translations

idiom used to signify the futility

Chinese:
Mandarin: 人算不如天算 (zh) (rén suàn bùrú tiān suàn) “man’s plans cannot compare to heaven’s plans”, 计划赶不上变化 (jì huà gan bú shàng biàn huà), 计划赶不上变化 (jì huà gǎn bú shàng biàn huà) “plans never catch up changes”