none the wiser

none the wiser

1. Completely unaware of something (typically because others have kept it a secret). I know you're not supposed to take the car out while your parents are gone, but just fill up the tank before they come back and they'll be none the wiser.

2. Unable to understand or comprehend something, especially after receiving information or explanations about it. He explained it to me many times, but his lesson left me none the wiser. I've read the manual twice, but I'm still none the wiser as to how this is supposed to work.

See also: none, wiser

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

none the wiser

not knowing any more in spite of events or exposure to facts. I was none the wiser about black holes after the lecture. It was a complete waste of time. Anne tried to explain the situation tactfully to Bob, but in the end, he was none the wiser.

See also: none, wiser

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

none the wiser

Knowing no more than before, as in He tried to explain the tax structure, but in the end I was none the wiser. [Early 1800s]

See also: none, wiser

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.