Throw Caution to the Wind

Builds on a much older pattern, "to the wind(s)" meaning utterly discarded or lost, documented since the 1600s. The specific pairing with "caution" is newer, dating from the late 19th century. Some sources propose a nautical origin, sailors deliberately disregarding caution to catch maximum speed under sail, but the exact evidence for that specific naval usage is thin, and the general "thrown to the wind" pattern already existed for centuries before "caution" was slotted into it.