Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
The principle that reforms should not be made until the reasoning behind the existing state of affairs is understood.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Qualifier: public policy
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From a parable by G.K. Chesterton, suggesting that one should not remove a fence until one learns why it was erected in the first place.
