learn your lesson

learn (one's) lesson

To learn through painful experience not to do something, often something one had been warned about or knew might be risky. I told you that you'd feel awful if you drank that much wine. I hope you've learned your lesson. I certainly learned my lesson about buying something from a stranger online.
See also: learn, lesson
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

learn your ˈlesson

learn what to do or what not to do in the future because you have had a bad experience in the past: I used to carry a lot of money on me, until one day my bag was stolen. Since then, I’ve learned my lesson.
See also: learn, lesson
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • (one) could use (something)
  • (one) never would have guessed
  • (you've) got to get up pretty early in the morning to (do something)
  • all right
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
  • a crack at (someone or something)
  • (one's) heart is set on (something)
  • (one) doesn't give a rip (about something)
References in periodicals archive
"The time has come for you to learn your lesson, and you will learn that lesson in jail.
"The time has come for you to learn your lesson. You must start to understand that if you carry on as you are, longer and longer custodial sentences will follow you.
home. 'If I don't punish you I'd be failing in my duty'
"You have to learn your lesson, be upset for the night and then the next day put it behind you carry on.
Football: We weren't at the races - McShane
"We're starting advance construction today, and it's the construction needed to kind of learn your lessons, validate your capacity assumptions ...
Navy newsstand (Aug. 12, 2005): advance construction begins for CVN 21