catch a falling knife
v. phr.— «The question for Mr. Marks and others is when to start buying in earnest. Early buyers risk “catching a falling knife,” in market parlance, if prices keep tumbling. But late buyers risk losing out on the best deals and the best returns. “We think we have to catch a falling knife,” Mr. Marks said.» —“Finding Potential for Debt in Distress” by Norm Alster New York Times May 25, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Several years ago, the National Endowment for the Arts devoted a whole issue of its magazine to the topic of “The Art of Failure: The Importance of Risk and Experimentation.” Writers, artists, and musicians all shared their insights...
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...