be none the wiser
1. To not be aware of something (typically because others have kept it a secret). I came in after curfew last night, but it's OK because I was so quiet that my parents are none the wiser. I did slip into that meeting late, but the boss was none the wiser, thank goodness. I know you're not supposed to take the car out while your Mom's away, but just fill up the tank before she comes back and she'll be none the wiser.
2. To not understand something, even after receiving explanations and information about it. My tutor has explained the quadratic equation to me many times, but I'm still none the wiser. I've read the manual twice, but I'm still none the wiser as to how this is supposed to work. A: "Why are you smacking the TV?" B: "After reading a bunch of stuff online, I was none the wiser about how to fix the picture, so I figured smacking it was worth a shot."
no one will be (any) the wiser
No one will notice (that something has been done). The phrase especially refers to a lack of notice of some act that is mischievous, illegal, or unethical. Come have a cigarette with us! Just eat some mints, then wash your hands and face and no one will be any the wiser! No one will be the wiser if you leave out a few of the ingredients.
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.
sadder and wiser
More knowledgeable or experienced after having gone through something unpleasant or unfortunate. We came through the economic disaster sadder and wiser, hopefully better prepared for such disasters in the future. I left the dinner sadder and wiser, understanding just how entrenched her family's bigotry still is.
sadder but wiser
Knowledgeable or experienced after having gone through something unpleasant or unfortunate. We came through the economic disaster sadder but wiser, hopefully better prepared for such disasters in the future. I left the dinner sadder but wiser, understanding just how entrenched her family's bigotry still is.
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.
sadder but wiser
Cliché unhappy but knowledgeable [about someone or something--after an unpleasant event]. After the accident, I was sadder but wiser, and would never make the same mistake again. We left the meeting sadder but wiser, knowing that we could not ever come to an agreement with Becky's aunt.
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]
sadder but wiser
Unhappy but having learned from one's mistakes, as in Sadder but wiser, she's never going near poison ivy again. The pairing of these two adjectives was first recorded in Samuel Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798).
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.