“Once bitten, twice shy” captures how a painful experience makes us cautious the next time around. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its hard-earned wariness.
What Does “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” Mean?
The proverb means that after being hurt or let down by something once, a person becomes far more careful about risking it again. Like a child who has been nipped by a dog and keeps their distance ever after, we grow wary of repeating an experience that went badly. It explains the caution people show after a betrayal, a bad investment, or a failed relationship.
Origin of the Proverb
The lesson is old even if the wording is not. William Caxton, England’s first printer, expressed the idea in his 1484 translation of Aesop’s fables: a person once deceived should ever after keep well clear of the same trap. The now-familiar phrasing took shape much later — an early example appears in Rachel Hunter’s 1806 novel Lady Maclairn (“once bit, twice shy”), and the snappy modern form became common in the late nineteenth century. The image is universal: get bitten once, and you flinch the next time.
Examples in a Sentence
- “He lost money on that scheme and won’t invest again — once bitten, twice shy.”
- “After her first landlord cheated her, she reads every lease twice. Once bitten, twice shy.”
- “I trusted that brand once and it broke in a week; once bitten, twice shy.”
Similar Proverbs
- A burnt child dreads the fire — the older proverb with exactly the same meaning.
- Once burned, twice shy — a common American variant.
- Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me — caution after being tricked.
- The scalded cat fears cold water — a vivid European version of learned wariness.
For more sayings about caution and experience, see our smart thoughts and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “once bitten, twice shy” mean?
It means that after being hurt by something once, you become much more cautious about risking it again, for fear of being hurt a second time.
Where does the proverb come from?
The idea appears in Caxton’s 1484 Aesop, but the modern wording is first seen in print around 1806 and became common in the late nineteenth century.
What is a similar proverb?
“A burnt child dreads the fire” is the closest older equivalent, and “once burned, twice shy” is a common variant.