teach a lesson

idiom
UK: /ˌtiːtʃ ə ˈlesən/
US: /ˌtiːtʃ ə ˈlesən/

  1. To punish someone so that they don't repeat a mistake.

    1. That mistake will teach a lesson.
    2. Losing the contract will teach a valuable lesson about deadlines.

  2. To provide an experience that helps someone learn and avoid similar situations in the future.

    1. This should teach a lesson to be careful.
    2. The near-accident will teach a lesson about driving safely in bad weather.

Synonyms

penalize discipline

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "teach a lesson" in English means: To punish someone so that they don't repeat a mistake., To provide an experience that helps someone learn and avoid similar situations in the future..

The phonetic transcription of "teach a lesson" is /ˌtiːtʃ ə ˈlesən/ in British English and /ˌtiːtʃ ə ˈlesən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "teach a lesson": penalize, discipline.

Example usage of "teach a lesson": "That mistake will teach a lesson.". More examples on the page.