Idiom
once bitten, twice shy
If something bad happened before, you become more cautious the next time.
Meanings
A bad past experience makes someone more cautious or wary in the future.
Definition
“Once bitten, twice shy” means that a negative experience makes you more careful in similar situations later. It suggests that people learn from being hurt, cheated, or disappointed and avoid taking the same risk again. It is often used to explain hesitation or distrust after a past problem.
Examples
- After that scam, he won’t invest online again—once bitten, twice shy.
- She’s hesitant to date a coworker because of a messy breakup before; once bitten, twice shy.
- I know I’m being cautious, but once bitten, twice shy.
- They double-check every contract now—once bitten, twice shy.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes change the fixed wording (e.g., say “once bite, twice shy” or “once bitten, two times shy”) instead of using the standard form.