# take time by the forelock

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/take-time-by-the-forelock
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To seize an opportunity quickly before it is no longer available.

## Examples

- You should take time by the forelock and apply for that job now.
- The market prices are dropping, so you must take time by the forelock if you want to buy a house at a discount.
- Recognizing that the window of opportunity was closing, the entrepreneur decided to take time by the forelock and secure the contract before her competitors could react.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.