once bitten, twice shy
English
Alternative forms
- once burned, twice cautious
- once burned, twice shy
- once hurt, twice shy
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Proverb
once bitten, twice shy
- One is cautious if one has been hurt in the past.
Synonyms
- a burnt child dreads the fire, the burnt child dreads the fire
- a beaten dog may cower before a friendly hand
Translations
one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past
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References
- Gregory Y. Titelman, Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, 1996, →ISBN, p. 261.