once bitten
Learned the lesson
Once bitten describes wariness that comes from a bad experience.
The full expression is "once bitten, twice shy"—having been hurt once, you're cautious about risking it again.
Once bitten, she never invested in penny stocks again.
Often shortened when the context is clear: I'm once bitten when it comes to blind dates.
- burnedDamaged by fire
- cautiousCareful to avoid risk
- waryGuardedly alert
- lessonUnit of teaching
- snakeLimbless scaled reptile
hard lesson · dog · trust · trust issues · scar · wound · betrayed · guarded · hesitant · shy away · sting · teeth · flinch · memory · regret · never again · fool · heartbreak
- Number Phrasestwo cents, three strikes, four corners, five senses, six feet under
once bittennaive
Innocently unsuspecting
unwary · innocent · green · inexperienced · unsuspecting
once bittenopen-hearted
Genuine and warmly receptive
trusting · unsuspicious · eager · optimistic · guileless
once bittenunscathed
Suffering no injury
sheltered · untested · inexperienced · green · unseasoned
once, bitten, one, bite, biting, bit, bites, biter, bitingly