摘要：这里的put也可以换成set。该习语中的cart意思是“两轮或四轮的运货马车，马车”，整个习语的字面意思是“把马车放到马前面”，那本末倒置试问马还怎么拉车呢？该习语较早的使用记录出现在英国剧作家和诗人约翰•海伍德（John Heywood）的作品《 A Dia

put the cart before the horse本末倒置；因果倒置

to put or do things in the wrong order

这里的put也可以换成set。该习语中的cart意思是“两轮或四轮的运货马车，马车”，整个习语的字面意思是“把马车放到马前面”，那本末倒置试问马还怎么拉车呢？该习语较早的使用记录出现在英国剧作家和诗人约翰•海伍德（John Heywood）的作品《 A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe tongue》（1589）中：

"To tourne the cat in the pan, Or set the cart before the horse."

海伍德在这里比较了两件同样荒谬的事情——烹饪猫和把马车放到马前面。

该俚语相当于汉语里的“本末倒置；因果倒置；倒果为因；颠倒是非；轻重颠倒，混淆是非”。例：

Buying a car before you get your driver's license is like putting the cart before the horse.

先买车才考驾照根本就是本末倒置。

This puts the cart before the horse; elections should follow, not precede, agreement on a constitution.

这样做是本末倒置；选举应该在宪法确定之后举行，而不是之前。

She applied for a job without completing her education. It's like putting the cart before the horse.

她在没有完成学业的情况下申请工作。就像是事情的顺序颠倒一样。

Aren't you putting the cart before the horse by deciding what to wear for the wedding before you've even been invited to it?

你还没受邀请去婚礼之前就决定穿什么衣服，这不是本末倒置吗。

Wait until we buy a cart before you build the garage; don't put the cart before the horse.

等我们把汽车买到你再修车库好了；不要本末倒置。

Creating large numbers of schools before we've improved school management is putting the cart before the horse.

在改善学校管理制度之前，就建立大量分校，这是本末倒置的。

Don’t plan the menu before deciding how many people to invite — it’s like putting the cart before the horse.

还没计划好邀请多少人过来，就去计划菜单，这简直就是本末倒置。

What's the rush? Learn to walk before you run. Don't put the cart before the horse.

急什么？先学会走路再学跑步。不要本末倒置。

The government put the cart before the horse by investing heavily before making major reforms.

政府在还没进行重大改革之前就进行大量投资，这是本末倒置。

It's not bankruptcy which has caused him to drink. You've put the cart before the horse.

并不是破产使他酗酒的，你可把因果关系颠倒了。

People are putting the cart before the horse by making plans on how to spend the money before we are even certain that the money will be available.

人们都还没确定有没有钱之前，就决定怎么去花钱了，这简直就是本末倒置。

Use your head. Find out who you are. And don’t get married first. That’s putting the cart before the horse.

动动脑子，先搞懂你自己是谁，而不是糊里糊涂就结婚，这完全是本末倒置了。《失败的战争》（Losing Battles）威尔提（Eudora Welty）

古罗马的人经常说：Currus bovem trahit praepostere，直译过来就是“用犁拉牛是错误的”。

而剧作家考夫曼（George Kaufman）对这个说法做了有趣的改动。据说他当时听说女儿的大学同学和一个男人私奔了，随口说道：

She put her heart before the course.

她把感情放在了学业前面。

来源：翅膀英语一点号