lost on (one)
Unappreciated or not understood, as of an idea. That whole lecture was lost on me. What was he even talking about? The joke was lost on the audience, unfortunately. I'll have to rewrite it to be less subtle. The human cost necessary to make these first-world comforts is a hard truth that is lost on most consumers.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*lost on someone
Fig. wasted on someone; not valued or appreciated by someone. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) My jokes are lost on him. He is too literal. The humor of the situation was lost on Mary. She was too upset to see it.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
lost on one
Have no effect or influence on one, as in
Ned's attempts at humor were lost on Meg, or
David's kindness was not lost on his aunt. This expression uses
lost in the sense of "wasted." [c. 1600] Also see
you've lost me.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.