learn

*ropes

Fig. knowledge of how to do something; how to work something. (*Typically: know ~; learn ~; show someone ~; teach someone ~.) I'll be able to do my job very well when I know the ropes. John is very slow to learn the ropes.

See also: rope

*thing or two (about someone or something) 

1. bits of information or criticism about someone or something; a few facts about someone or something. (Typically: find out ~; know ~; learn ~; tell someone ~.) I told Bob a thing or two about cars. I know a thing or two about Mary that would really shock you.

2. a few points of criticism about someone or something. (Typically: tell some-One ~.) I told her a thing or two about her precious little boy! Let me tell you a thing or two about your messy yard!

See also: thing, two

*tricks of the trade

special skills and knowledge associated with any trade or profession. (*Typically: know ~; learn ~; show someone ~; teach someone ~.) I know a few tricks of the trade that make things easier. I learned the tricks of the trade from my uncle.

See also: trade, trick

It is never too late to learn. and You are never too old to learn.

Prov. You can always learn something new. Alan: Help me make the salad dressing. Jane: But I don't know anything about making salad dressing. Alan: You are never too old to learn. Grandma decided to take a course in using computers. "It's never too late to learn," she said.

See also: late, never

know something by heart

Fig. to know something perfectly; to have memorized something perfectly. I know my speech by heart. I went over and over it until I knew it by heart.

See also: heart, know

learn (something) the hard way and find (something) out the hard way

to learn something by experience, especially by an unpleasant experience. (As opposed to learning in school, from reading, etc.) She learned how to make investments the hard way. I wish I didn't have to learn things the hard way. I found out the hard way that it's difficult to work and go to school at the same time.

See also: hard, way

learn something by heart

Fig. to learn something so well that it can be written or recited without thinking; to memorize something. The director told me to learn my speech by heart. I had to go over it many times before I learned it by heart.

See also: heart

learn something by rote

Fig. to learn something by memorizing without giving any thought to what is being learned. I learned history by rote; then I couldn't pass the test that required me to think. If you learn things by rote, you'll never understand them.

See also: rote

learn something from someone or something

to find out something from someone or something. I don't know when the children are due to arrive. See what you can learn from Walter. lam sure we can learn something from this experience.

learn something from the bottom up

Fig. to learn something thoroughly, from the very basics; to learn all aspects of something, even the least important ones. I learned my business from the bottom up. I started out sweeping the floors and learned everything from the bottom up.

See also: bottom, up

learn about someone or something

to find out about someone or something. What have you learned about Mr. Franklin and his business dealings? I learned about what causes rain.

learn by something

to learn [something] from some kind of actual experience. The best way to learn is to learn by doing. The best way to learn to sail is to learn by sailing.

learn from someone or something

to learn [something] from the experience of someone or something. Pay attention to what Sarah does. I think you can learn from her. This was quite an experience, and we all can learn from it.

learn of someone or something

to find out about someone or something. Fm not in the telephone book. How did you learn of me? How did you learn of our company?

learn to live with something

Fig. to learn to adapt to something unpleasant or painful. Finally the doctor told Marion that she was going to have to learn to live with her arthritis. The floor plan of the house we bought is not as spacious as we had thought, but we will learn to live with it.

See also: live

live and learn

Cliché to increase one's knowledge by experience. (Usually said when one is surprised to learn something.) I didn't know that snakes could swim. Well, live and learn! John didn't know he should water his house-plants a little extra in the dry winter months. When they all died, he said, "Live and learn."

See also: and, live

We must learn to walk before we can run.

Prov. You must master a basic skill before you are able to learn more complex things. Maria wanted to make a tailored jacket as her first sewing project, but her mother convinced her that she should make something much simpler; she would have to learn to walk before she could run.

See also: before, can, must, run, walk

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know/learn something (off) by heart

if you know or learn something, especially a piece of writing, by heart, you know or learn it so that you can remember it perfectly He's my favourite poet. I know several of his poems by heart.

See also: heart, know

learn something off pat  (British, American & Australian) also learn something down pat (American)

to learn something so well that you do not have to think about how to do or say it All the answers he'd learned off pat for the interview sounded unconvincing now. (British, American & Australian)

See also: pat

learn your lesson

to learn something useful about life from an unpleasant experience I'm never going to mix my drinks again - I've learnt my lesson.

See know by heart

See also: lesson

tricks of the trade

clever methods that help you to do a job better or faster As a journalist, you learn the tricks of the trade pretty quickly or you don't survive.

See also: trade, trick

You live and learn.  (British) also Live and learn. (American)

something that you say when you have just discovered something that you did not know I had no idea they were related. Oh well, you live and learn.

See be on the breadline, have a charmed life, be in a dream world, lead the life of Riley

See also: and, live

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learn (something) the hard way

to obtain knowledge or understanding through experience We'd never done anything like this, so we learned how to build a house the hard way. Since he won't take advice from anyone, I guess he is going to have to learn the hard way.

Usage notes: often used in the form find (something) out the hard way: He found out the hard way that he needed help.

See also: hard, way

learn a/your lesson

to understand something because of an unpleasant experience We learned a lesson from last year's failure to reform health care. You hope that prisoners will say, “I don't want to end up back in jail again – I've learned my lesson.”

See also: lesson

learn the ropes

to understand how to do a particular job or activity It'll take some time for the new receptionist to learn the ropes.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the forms know the ropes (to understand how something is done) and show someone the ropes or teach someone the ropes (to teach someone how something is done): You'd better find someone to show you the ropes if you're going to fix the car yourself.

See also: rope

tricks of the trade

methods that help you to do a job better or faster As a journalist, you learn the tricks of the trade pretty quickly or you don't get your stories.

See also: trade, trick