to bridle expectations

7.8

Limit how much you hope for to avoid disappointment

phrasal verb
/ˈbraɪdəl ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz/

: moderar expectativas

You should bridle your expectations before you get too excited about the results.

Examples

Investors need to bridle expectations in a volatile market.
It's important to bridle expectations when starting a new job.
He learned to bridle expectations after several of his projects fell through.
Can you bridle expectations for the upcoming event?
He learned to bridle expectations after several of his projects fell through.
You should bridle your expectations before you get too excited about the results.
Investors need to bridle expectations in a volatile market.

Synonyms

to lower one's sights

vsto bridle expectations

Informal

1 6.9

Choose smaller goals that are easier to reach when big ones feel impossible

restrain hopes proactively to avoid disappointment

Antonyms

to get one's hopes up

Informal

34 5.6

To become too excited about something that might not happen

How Restrained

to bridle expectations

7.8

to aim high

5 3.9

Surface Forms

bridle expectations infinitive

bridled expectations past

bridled expectations past participle

bridling expectations present participle

bridles expectations third person singular

Morphology

bridle + expectation

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'bridle' (restrain/curb) with 'expectations' (hopes or beliefs about the future): it literally means to restrain one's expectations. While 'bridle' as 'restrain' may be less frequent than other verbs, the compositional logic is straightforward and would be understandable to a learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Bridle expectations comes from horse riding because a bridle is the headgear used to guide and stop a horse. So, to bridle expectations means to 'hold back' your hopes so you do not get disappointed.