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| 'A stitch in time saves nine' - what does it mean? | 'A stitch in time saves nine' - what does it mean? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| There're plenty of words and phrases we've had to get used to hearing in 2020. | |
| Coronavirus. Lockdown. Heard immunity. The R rate. And last night there was a new one for a lot of people. | Coronavirus. Lockdown. Heard immunity. The R rate. And last night there was a new one for a lot of people. |
| "A stitch in time saves nine." | "A stitch in time saves nine." |
| That's what the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he announced extra rules on things like pub closing times in England. | That's what the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he announced extra rules on things like pub closing times in England. |
| If you're anything like us - or most of the internet - you were probably on your phone pretty quickly. | If you're anything like us - or most of the internet - you were probably on your phone pretty quickly. |
| At 20:04 BST, right after the PM told us: "We must take action now because a stitch in time saves nine", Google saw a spike in people searching for the meaning of the phrase. | At 20:04 BST, right after the PM told us: "We must take action now because a stitch in time saves nine", Google saw a spike in people searching for the meaning of the phrase. |
| So what does it mean? | So what does it mean? |
| The phrase basically means it's better to solve a problem right away, to stop it becoming a much bigger one. | The phrase basically means it's better to solve a problem right away, to stop it becoming a much bigger one. |
| It's first recorded in a book way back in 1723 and it's a sewing reference. | It's first recorded in a book way back in 1723 and it's a sewing reference. |
| The idea is that sewing up a small rip with one stitch means the tear is less likely to get bigger, and need more - or, well, nine - stitches later on. | The idea is that sewing up a small rip with one stitch means the tear is less likely to get bigger, and need more - or, well, nine - stitches later on. |
| That's a lot to fit on the front of the Downing Street podium so you can see why the prime minister's using the short version. | That's a lot to fit on the front of the Downing Street podium so you can see why the prime minister's using the short version. |
| The point Boris Johnson was going for was that asking bars and restaurants to shut earlier now (the stitch) will hopefully mean there's not a huge wave of coronavirus cases in a month or so (a bigger rip) and a tougher lockdown (nine stitches) won't be needed. | The point Boris Johnson was going for was that asking bars and restaurants to shut earlier now (the stitch) will hopefully mean there's not a huge wave of coronavirus cases in a month or so (a bigger rip) and a tougher lockdown (nine stitches) won't be needed. |
| Scotland and Northern Ireland are doing the same. They're also stopping people in different houses visiting each other too. | Scotland and Northern Ireland are doing the same. They're also stopping people in different houses visiting each other too. |
| Let's call that a two-stitch strategy. | Let's call that a two-stitch strategy. |
| And in Wales, where pubs will also have to close by 22:00, they've always had rules on only extended households getting to head round to see each other inside. | And in Wales, where pubs will also have to close by 22:00, they've always had rules on only extended households getting to head round to see each other inside. |
| You can find out exactly what all the new rules mean for you here. | You can find out exactly what all the new rules mean for you here. |
| Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |