Once bitten, twice shy
Save This Word!
An injury makes a person wary of its cause.
QUIZ
WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?
Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!
Question 1 of 7
Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.
Words nearby Once bitten, twice shy
ONC, on call, on-camera, once, once and for all, Once bitten, twice shy, once in a blue moon, once in a lifetime, once in a while, Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once-over
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
How to use Once bitten, twice shy in a sentence
Other Idioms and Phrases with Once bitten, twice shy
once bitten, twice shy
Once hurt, one is doubly cautious in the future, as in He was two days late last time, so she's not hiring him again—once bitten, twice shy. This seemingly old observation, presumably alluding to an animal biting someone, was first recorded in 1894.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.