don’t burn your bridges

B

don’t burn your bridges (idiom)
/ˈdoʊnt bɜrn jər ˈbrɪʤɪz/

To not burn your bridges means to avoid doing something that would make it impossible to return to a previous situation or relationship.

Variations

• burn one’s bridges
• burn the bridge behind you
• burn your boats
• never burn a bridge before you get to it
• don’t burn the bridges before crossing them

Meaning

• Avoid cutting off every possible way of returning to a situation, leaving no chance to go back.
• Don’t end a relationship or opportunity in a way that prevents future return or cooperation.
• Refrain from making choices that remove the possibility of reconciliation or renewed access.
• Maintain good terms until you are sure you will not need that relationship or resource again.

Example Sentences

1. When leaving your job, don’t burn your bridges; you may want to work there again someday.
2. Don’t burn the bridges with your mentor; you might need their guidance again.
3. Keep good relations with your current employer — never burn the bridge before crossing it.
4. By insulting his boss, he completely burned his bridges.
5. Speaking rudely to the client will burn your bridges with them.
6. He chose to burn the bridge behind him by rejecting their offer outright.
7. Don’t burn your boats by ending the relationship in anger without trying to work things out.

Origin and History

The most widely accepted theory for the origin of this idiom comes from ancient military history. The practice of burning bridges or boats was a deliberate strategy used by commanders. When an army crossed a body of water to enter enemy territory, they would sometimes destroy the means of their crossing.

There were two main reasons for this. First, it prevented the army from retreating. By removing the possibility of going back, soldiers were forced to fight with full determination, as victory was their only option. Second, it made it more difficult for the enemy to pursue them. This literal act of burning a bridge to cut off a line of retreat became a powerful symbol. Over time, it evolved into a figurative expression meaning to take an action that makes a situation irreversible.

A Roman General’s Influence

A famous example that reflects this principle involves the Roman general Julius Caesar. In 49 B.C., when he crossed the Rubicon River—a boundary separating his province from Italy—he committed to a decision from which there was no turning back. While no actual bridge-burning took place, the act symbolized an irreversible commitment. The phrase crossing the Rubicon later became its own idiom with a closely related meaning.

The Tale of the Spanish Conquest

Another well-known story involves Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. In 1519, upon arriving in Mexico, he reportedly ordered his ships destroyed—either by burning or scuttling—to prevent his men from deserting and returning to Cuba. This action left them no option but to move forward in their mission to conquer or die, perfectly illustrating the concept of removing any possibility of retreat.

The Muslim Commander

A similar account comes from 711 A.D., when Muslim commander Tariq Ibn Ziyad led his forces across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain. According to tradition, he ordered his ships burned, telling his troops that their only path was forward. This decisive act ensured that retreat was impossible and boosted the determination of his soldiers.

The Phrase in Written History

Although the concept is ancient, the idiom itself did not appear in English until much later. The earliest known printed uses of don’t burn your bridges date from the 19th century. One of the earliest recorded examples appears in American publications such as The New York Times in the 1860s, though similar expressions may have been in circulation earlier.

Possible Country of Origin

While the historical inspirations for the phrase span Roman, Spanish, and North African history, the idiomatic form familiar today—don’t burn your bridges—appears to have become established in American English during the 19th century. Its meaning and figurative use have remained consistent ever since, symbolizing the irreversible severing of ties or opportunities.

See also: burn bridges

End, Fire, Relationship