Where does the phrase "jumping the gun" originate?

Question

If you "jumped the gun" on this one, what does it mean and where does it come from?

Answer 1

Jumping the gun

Comment from Philip Page: In military use, used by the Royal Artillery from years ago to describe poor timing by the infantry and later armour with regard to advancement or attack into area with preparatory artillery barrages. With the earlier smoothbore cannons, infantry was commonly slightly behind batteries, to advance as the enemy closed to prevent loss of guns. Some ill-disciplined troops would literally jump the guns to have a bash at the enemy.

Definitions from Steve Sabram:

1) Refers to track and field events where everyone is to run after a starter's gun is fired. If you started to run before it was fired, you "jumped the gun".

2) Referring to the Oklahoma Land Grab of the 1800's. All of the settlers literally were at the territory border 'til a cannon was fired allowing them to move into the territory to make a claim. If you ran before the cannon was fired, you were shot by US Troops. Thus "jumped the gun".

http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/meanings.htm

Answer 2

I think it came from the first horse races, possibly in more countries than the US, when a gun shot was used to start the race, and some horses jumped the gun.

And boy will I feel little if someone pulls out all their books and gets down and dirty with paragraphs of backstory on their stories of where the expression orginated. Because I kind of jumped the gun on this and went with the first thing that entered my mind. Luck!

Answer 3

"Jumping the gun" is generally used to indicate that a person has done something before he or she was supposed (before it was time to, before they had all the information he or she needed, etc...). For example, if a reporter says that the Yankees have won the World Series before they actually won, he has jumped the gun.

The origin of the phrase is not entirely known. Some say that it was first used in the Royal Artillery to describe a person with poor timing.

Others say that it refers to the Oklahoma Land Grab of the 1800's, when people were not allowed to cross the border to claim their land until a cannon was fired.

Still, others say it refers to a runner who ran before the starting gun was fired.

No matter what the exact origin, all of them have to do with a person starting something before they were supposed to (before the gun was fired).

Answer 4

This is a complete guess, but it might have something to do with a runner who leaves that starting gate before the starting pistol is fired, thus jumping the gun. It means to jump to conclusions without knowing the whole truth, or assuming your first impression is right.

Answer 5

Jumping the gun only means that you answered someones question too quickly or perhaps acted too quickly on any given task.............jumping the gun really means.....acting too quickly without thought!

Answer 6

Races of all kinds start with a gun shot or starting pistol. It probably started with horse races when guns were first invented.

Answer 7

i think it goes back even further than firing a gun at a race,i seem to remember something about this before
and im sure it was another reason,maybe im jumpin....eh oh ok .well hopefully you get what im saying ?