born yesterday

born yesterday

Extremely naïve, gullible, or unintelligent, like a newborn baby. Almost always used in the negative or as a rhetorical question. Don't think you can fool me with that old ruse, I wasn't born yesterday, you know. Of course I know that major political issues can't be fixed overnight. Do you think I was born yesterday?
See also: born, yesterday
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

born yesterday

Naive or ignorant. Used in negative constructions: Of course I can use a computer; I wasn't born yesterday.
See also: born, yesterday
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

born yesterday, not (I wasn't)

Not naive; more experienced than one might think. Already a popular saying by the early nineteenth century, it appeared on both sides of the Atlanti “I warn’t born yesterday,” said Thomas Haliburton’s Sam Slick in one of his Wise Saws (1843). Approximately a century later Garson Kanin used the phrase for the title of a Broadway play that became extremely popular, as did the later (1950) film version. In both, actress Judy Holliday played the quintessential dumb blonde who, despite seeming unsophistication, is graced with enormous good sense.
See also: born, not
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • born yesterday, not (I wasn't)
  • I wasn't born yesterday
  • greenhorn
  • a babe in the woods
  • babe in the woods
  • babes in the wood
  • play (one) for a sucker
  • not born yesterday
  • babe in arms
  • a babe in arms
References in periodicals archive
Indeed, as a blueprint for the reform of the Federal government, Born Yesterday is wanting, but such weighty maners aren't what the play is about; they are more in the nature of its setting like the Capitol dome that looms outside the window of David Potts's "posh" set.
Born Yesterday
In Ireland, babies born yesterday receive a payment from the Dublin government.
WALES: N.Wales Leap Day baby joy
A 7oz panda cub was also born yesterday in another centre in Sichuan, and it became the heaviest cub in the history of China's artificial breeding programme, the report said.
Giant pandas born in captivity in China
Lisa was originally told by doctors Ethan would be born yesterday and was shocked when she went into labour.
The birth of a Ethan Weelands
The baby alpaca, pictured, was born yesterday morning at a farm in Slaley, near Hexham, but owner Vicky Ridley, of Moorgair Farm, said her two children Annette, 12, and Shaun, 10, had still not come up with a name for the latest addition to the family.
Arrival to turn heads
Their little boy was born yesterday and Agyemang was able to complete the transfer to Preston.
Agyemang eager to impress
He might think the rest of us were born yesterday, but it is clear to anyone with a brain cell that Channel 4 will walk away from racing at some time in the near future.
Letter: Recent trends say C4 will walk away; Roger Nobbs predicts the broadcaster will not cover racing for too much longer
Just the three years from 1946 to 1949 while I was in college at Columbia, saw the original productions of "The Iceman Cometh," "Born Yesterday," "Annie Get Your Gun," "Brigadoon," "A Street Car Named Desire," "South Pacific," "Death of a Salesman," and "Kiss Me Kate" Of all of these, none seemed as perfect to me as Gielgud's "Earnest."
Tilting at Windmills
The 27-year-old added: "Our beautiful precious daughter Delilah Ruby Sinclair was born yesterday, on the 22nd of June, at 5.18pm weighing 6lb 15oz.
2nd daughter for Celt ace Scott and Corrie fiancee
SATURDAYS singer Rochelle Wiseman Just Can't Get Enough of her daughter Alaia-Mai, who was born yesterday.
TOT OF POPS; Baby joy for Rochelle & Marvin
In a sure sign that spring is on the way, one trio of new arrivals were born yesterday at the Black Country family attraction.
It's a lamb jam down on farm
Dubai Dmitry Petrus who was born yesterday has something very strangely common with his great- grandfather and his father.
Number 10 is lucky for newborn and family
I'm sure you and your party were born yesterday -on another planet!
Same familiar tone; You Say Email:letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk
Four Leap Year babies were born yesterday on the most unusual day of the year.
Leon's long wait for first birthday; Newborn is one of four Leap Year babies at HRI
Baby Cassius was born yesterday evening and weighed 7lb.
Soccer star Cisse celebrates birth of baby boy Cassius