ChatterBank1 min ago
Once bitten twice shy...
20 Answers
So what happens if you get bitten twice?
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by rinkins. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.I imagine the words once and twice do not have their usual modern meanings here. The word twice must mean �second time�, and once means �first time�. Like skipping and counting the jumps, once, twice�.
Therefore the meaning is: If bitten the first time one tries something, then the second time, one will be shy. A more concise modern translation of the phrase would be first time bitten, second time shy. But that is too garbled and lengthy for idioms.
The following: Once bitten, two times shy is almost certainly not the correct meaning. The saying could be generalised to:Once bitten, twice bitten, thrice shy.
This means that if you are bitten the first two times, you will be shy the third time. This could be shortened to:
Twice bitten, thrice shy.
Therefore the meaning is: If bitten the first time one tries something, then the second time, one will be shy. A more concise modern translation of the phrase would be first time bitten, second time shy. But that is too garbled and lengthy for idioms.
The following: Once bitten, two times shy is almost certainly not the correct meaning. The saying could be generalised to:Once bitten, twice bitten, thrice shy.
This means that if you are bitten the first two times, you will be shy the third time. This could be shortened to:
Twice bitten, thrice shy.