Hedge one’s bets/Hedge fund

To hedge one’s bets is to take protection against potential losses, dates from the latter half of the 1600s. The figurative meaning of hedge as a barrier or protection is even older, dating from the 1400s. Hedging as a financial investment strategy dates from the late 19th/early 20th century, but it is still linked to both foregoing meanings. Hedge fund, a particular investment instrument designed to protect an overall investment plan or strategy is first attested from the 1960s.