close the stable door after the horse has bolted
To attempt to prevent a problem that has already occurred; to design and implement a preventive mechanism that is too late (after the first failure instead of before).
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Adding a lock now is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.”
“They installed security cameras only after the robbery, which was just closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.”
“By implementing these strict safety protocols only after the catastrophic system failure, the management was merely closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.”
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Augean stables
The stables where King Augeas kept his vast herd.
- 02
bang down the door
To present oneself as a strong candidate for a role or achievement, explicitly or implicitly.
- 03
beat a dead horse
To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.
- 04
blow the doors off
To be much more important or impressive than.
- 05
bolt bucket
A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.
- 06
bolt from the blue
A complete surprise; something totally unexpected.
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bolt to the bran
To examine thoroughly, so as to separate or discover everything important.
- 08
bucket of bolts
A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often an old car.
Last updated August 10, 2026