taught someone a lesson
Made them regret
To teach someone a lesson is to punish or discipline them in a way intended to correct their behavior or make them regret their actions.
The phrase implies the recipient will learn something from the unpleasant experience: After he kept stealing lunches from the break room fridge, we taught him a lesson by filling a sandwich with hot sauce.
It can range from minor pranks to serious retaliation, and sometimes suggests satisfaction on the part of the one delivering the lesson.
- experiencePractical knowledge from life
- life experienceAccumulated personal history
- hard wayMethod requiring maximum effort
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- tough loveBeneficial strictness from affection
punishment · set straight · put in place · integrity · honesty · mentor · reprimand · consequence · just desserts · humility · deterrent · resilience · realization · payback · comeuppance · justice · reflection · karma
taught someone a lessonlooked the other way
Deliberately avoided noticing
turned a blind eye · enabled · tolerated · overlooked · coddled
taught someone a lessonforgave
Ceased to blame
pardoned · let bygones be bygones · absolved · let off the hook · excused
taught, teachers, teachable, unteachable, someone, lesson, lessons