20/20 hindsight
20/20 hindsight
Knowledge of what one should have done, because it is easier to clearly reevaluate past actions or decisions than when they are being made or done. A reference to the visual acuity of normal eyesight (20/20 vision). With 20/20 hindsight, I can see now that having my brother as my legal counsel was unwise. A: "I can't believe I was ever interested in such a self-absorbed jerk." B: "Don't blame yourself. We all have 20/20 hindsight."
See also: 20, hindsight
twenty-twenty hindsight
The ability to determine how some mistake or failure in the past could have been avoided. Often used ironically or sarcastically; sometimes stylized as "20/20 hindsight." I can see now that having my brother as my legal counsel was unwise, but I guess twenty-twenty hindsight isn't much use right now. A: "I can't believe I was ever interested in such a self-absorbed jerk." B: "Don't beat yourself about it. We all have 20/20 hindsight."
See also: hindsight
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
twenty-twenty hindsight
Knowledge after the fact, as in With twenty-twenty hindsight, I wouldn't have bought these tickets. This idiom uses twenty-twenty in the optometrist's sense, that is, "indicating normal vision," and hindsight in the sense of "looking back" or "reconsidering." [First half of 1900s]
See also: hindsight
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
20/20 hindsight
verbSee twenty-twenty hindsight
See also: 20, hindsight
twenty-twenty hindsight
and 20/20 hindsight n. an ability to figure out what one should have done after it is too late to do it. Everybody has twenty-twenty hindsight!
See also: hindsight
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
- hindsight
- twenty-twenty hindsight
- no time like the present
- no time like the present, there's
- there's no time like the present
- done and done
- that's better
- good as done
- good as done, as
- as good as done