Idioms

experience

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chalk (something) up to experience

To regard a bad situation, action, or outcome as a learning experience rather than dwelling on its negative impact. I know you're upset about failing your exam, but just chalk it up to experience and try harder next time! Try not to dwell on this loss. The best thing you can do is chalk it up to experience and move on. I know this has been a whole debacle, but you can chalk it up to experience and never work with these people again.
See also: chalk, experience, to, up

experience is the best teacher

proverb Most wisdom is gained by experiencing different things (compared to acquiring knowledge through schooling or other means). A few years ago, I couldn't even get behind the wheel without having panic attacks, but, with practice, I'm much calmer and can drive with no problems. Experience is the best teacher after all. I want you to sing in the talent show because you've never sung for an audience before, and experience is the best teacher. Son, you just have to experience some things for yourself. Experience is the best teacher, after all.
See also: best, experience, teacher

experience is the father of wisdom

proverb Most wisdom is gained by experiencing different things (compared to acquiring knowledge through schooling or other means). A few years ago, I couldn't even get behind the wheel without having panic attacks, but, with practice, I'm much calmer and can drive with no problems. Experience is the father of wisdom after all. I want you to sing in the talent show because you've never sung for an audience before, and experience is the father of wisdom. Son, you just have to experience some things for yourself. Experience is the father of wisdom, after all.
See also: experience, father, of, wisdom

experience is the mother of wisdom

proverb Most wisdom is gained by experiencing different things (compared to acquiring knowledge through schooling or other means). A few years ago, I couldn't even get behind the wheel without having panic attacks, but, with practice, I'm much calmer and can drive with no problems. Experience is the mother of wisdom after all. I want you to sing in the talent show because you've never sung for an audience before, and experience is the mother of wisdom. Son, you just have to experience some things for yourself. Experience is the mother of wisdom, after all.
See also: experience, mother, of, wisdom

experience is the teacher of fools

Foolish people only learn from personal experience, rather than witnessing others' mistakes. If experience is the teacher of fools, how does that explain Alex? He keeps doing the same thing with his experiment and expecting it to work. A: "No way am I going out today—I wiped out the last time I went running in these conditions." B: "Glad to hear that experience is still the teacher of fools." Why would you do the same stupid thing as your brother immediately after he got hurt doing it? I sure hope experience is the teacher of fools!
See also: experience, fool, of, teacher

eye-opening

Causing or resulting in a shocking or startling revelation. We had gotten used to dominating the other teams in our relatively small division, so when we played our first game at a professional level, we suffered an eye-opening defeat. Learning that John had been dealing with an opioid addiction for all those years was really eye-opening for me. The hurricane was eye-opening for a lot of people in the region who thought they'd never see a storm of that magnitude.

growth experience

An experience that helps or allows one to change and mature. That painful break-up was ultimately a growth experience—now, I only date people who truly care about me. Successful people learn from their failures and use them as growth experiences. Al's divorce could have been a growth experience for him, but, no, he's still blaming everything on his wife.
See also: experience, growth

hands-on experience

Direct experience involving actual, practical use of something, such as a tool, piece of equipment, or program. Our summer internship is a great way for students and recent graduates to get hands-on experience in the industry. You can read all the books in the world about computer programming, but without any hands-on experience, you'll never fully understand it. My explanation will make more sense once you get some hands-on experience using this machine at the gym.
See also: experience

harrowing experience

An experience that is frightening, chilling, or disturbing, either due to an implied or actual element of danger, or from being physically or emotionally unpleasant. With so much traffic, cycling in this city can be a harrowing experience. Walking through that graveyard last night was quite the harrowing experience. The film is very good, but it's a bit of a harrowing experience; it doesn't shy away from intense subject matter.
See also: experience

have a near-death experience

1. To come very close to dying. Ever since the accident, I've been so thankful for everything that I have in my life. I guess having a near-death experience will do that to you. We all had a near-death experience when the plane plummeted to the ground. Thankfully the pilot was able to regain control at the last second. I thought the engine was just smoking a little bit! It was only when the fire department arrived as the car burst into flames that I realized I'd had a near-death experience.
2. To experience a unique sensory phenomenon when one comes very close to dying, commonly characterized by visions of bright light, a sensation of being disconnected from one's body, and the rapid recollection of memories from one's life. Is it true that your whole life flashes before your eyes when you have a near-death experience? I think I had a near-death experience while I was trapped in that burning wreck. It was as if I was floating above my own body, while a bright, heavenly light shone down from above. The last thing I remember is an incredibly bright light. I guess I had a near-death experience before I came to in the ambulance.
See also: experience, have

jarring experience

An experience that creates an acute sense of shock, confusion, or bewilderment. That car accident was such a jarring experience, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep for days. You need better use of transitional sentences in your paper. Jumping from point to point like that will be a jarring experience for the reader.
See also: experience, jar

jaw-dropping

Astonishing or astounding; causing an overwhelming amount of surprise, wonder, or amazement. Seeing the sun rise from the top of Mount Fuji was one of the most jaw-dropping experiences of my life. Their house sold for the jaw-dropping price of $5 million.

learning experience

An experiences that teaches one something. I didn't love that job, but it was a good learning experience and showed me that I need to work in a different field.
See also: experience, learning

near-death experience

1. Literally, an instance in which one comes very close to dying. Ever since the accident, I've been so thankful for everything that I have in my life. I guess a near-death experience will do that to you. We all had a near-death experience when the plane plummeted to the ground. Thankfully the pilot was able to regain control at the last second.
2. A unique sensory phenomenon experienced when one comes very close to dying, commonly characterized by visions of bright light, a sensation of being disconnected from one's body, and the rapid recollection of memories from one's life. Is it true that your whole life flashes before your eyes when you have a near-death experience? I think I had a near-death experience while I was trapped in that burning wreck. It was as if I were floating above my own body and moving toward a bright, white light.
See also: experience

once-in-a-lifetime experience

An experience that seems highly unlikely to happen again. Going to Disneyland as a young child is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's just not the same if you go when you're older.
See also: experience

out-of-body experience

A vivid sensation that one's mind or consciousness is detached from one's body, especially in which one is able to observe oneself or one's surroundings. I had the most vivid dream last night. I was hovering in my room, looking down on my own body as I slept. It felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. Being at her father's funeral led to an out-of-body experience for Claire. She could clearly see herself in the graveyard surrounded by her family, all of them crying as their father's casket was lowered into the ground.
See also: experience

put (something) down to experience

To regard a bad situation, action, or outcome as a learning experience rather than dwelling on its negative impact. I know you're upset about failing your exam, but just put it down to experience and study harder next time.
See also: down, experience, put, to

speak from experience

To talk (about something) having had prior experience and thus a more credible or worthwhile viewpoint. I'm speaking from experience when I tell you that a robust investment portfolio is absolutely critical to achieve the kind of pension you desire. A: "Sarah said to have a lawyer look over the contract to make sure it's all above board." B: "Well, I know she speaks from experience, so I would listen to her."
See also: experience, speak
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Experience is the best teacher.

Prov. You will learn more from things that happen to you in real life than you will from hearing about or studying things that happen to other people. I don't care how many books you read about how to run a business; experience is the best teacher. The nurse believed that experience was the best teacher when it came to developing a bedside manner, so she made sure that all her students spent a lot of time with patients.
See also: best, experience, teacher

Experience is the father of wisdom,

 and Experience is the mother of wisdom.
Prov. The more that happens to you, the more you will learn. I never understood why supervisors got so frustrated with me until I became a supervisor and got frustrated with my subordinates. Experience was definitely the mother of wisdom, in my case.
See also: experience, father, of, wisdom

Experience is the teacher of fools.

Prov. Only fools do not learn after seeing other people's mistakes and insist on repeating them. Father: You should spend more time studying and less time having fun with your friends. If I had been a better student when I was your age, I'd have a better job now. Son: Oh, come on, Dad. School's worthless. Father: Don't make the same mistake I did! Experience is the teacher of fools.
See also: experience, fool, of, teacher

growth experience

 and growth opportunity; learning experience
Euph. an unpleasant experience. This job has been a growth experience for me. I've learned so much. Jim said that his trip to Mexico turned out to be a real learning experience.
See also: experience, growth
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

put something down to experience

or

chalk something up to experience

COMMON If you chalk a failure or bad experience up to experience or put it down to experience, you do not get very upset about it because you will learn from it in the future. I was disappointed not to win, but I've just got to chalk it up to experience and go on. They could have parted friends and put the whole incident down to experience.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

put something down to exˈperience

(also chalk it up to exˈperience especially American English ) accept a failure, loss, etc. as being something that you can learn from: When her second novel was rejected by the publisher, she put it down to experience and began another one.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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References in periodicals archive
(a) Imaginative resistance to the possibility of such an experience machine, such as worries that the machine might not work as well as we think it does.
A brand-led customer experience strategy builds on existing NPS programs by ensuring that, as changes are made to the customer experience, key brand messages are reinforced across all aspects of the experience-at Interbrand, we call these 'Branded Micro-Moments.'
There are several different ways in which we experience reality.
Several performers came to the project with audiobook experience. In addition to Toussaint (Fortunate Son), they include Underwood (Jack and Jill), Angela Bassett (When Death Comes Stealing), Ruby Dee (Their Eyes Were Watching God), Pamala Tyson (Cover Girls), Forest Whitaker (Duke Ellington), Lisa Renee Pitts (Better Than I Know Myself), Mirron E.
Griffiths also plans to explore how brain processes unleashed by psilocybin compare with neural activity in people who experience drug free spiritual epiphanies.
John Dewey's quote resonates with my experience conducting research within a service learning context for a master's thesis; I "suffered" and have undergone the consequences.
He hired two with health plan experience and two directly out of clinical practice.
General Accounting Experience -- Since audit hours are no longer required, CPA candidates can acquire the experience needed for licensing from any actively licensed CPA in California.
The parent or teacher or professor starts with an experience, or a discussion of a prior experience, and then asks the learner to analyze the experience: "What are the parts of it?
However, more than thirty empirical studies have documented the risk factors for homesickness, which include little previous experience away from home, insecure attachment to caregivers, low perceived control, preseparation negative attitudes, social disconnection, and significant cultural and environmental shifts.
Because adolescents are typically in a time of identity versus role confusion (Erikson, 1950/1963), the cognitive dissonance they experience is magnified.
We are looking for a unique combination of experience and skills."
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