Hold your horses Definition 1 of 1Pro Tip 1/3Impatience Alert Use 'hold your horses' to caution someone who's acting rashly or impatiently. Hold your horses, we need to think this through before deciding. Pro Tip 2/3Informal Tone It's a casual phrase, suitable for everyday conversation, not formal situations. Hold your horses, Jack, the movie hasn't started yet. Pro Tip 3/3Friendly Caution The phrase can be a friendly way to tell someone to wait, without causing offence. Hold your horses! Your coffee will be ready in a minute.