From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishonce bitten, twice shytwice shy once bittenonce bitten, twice shyused to say that if you have failed or been hurt once, you will be more careful next time → biteonce bitten, twice shytwice shy once bittenonce bitten, twice shyNOT DO somethingused to say that people will not do something again if it has been a bad experience → once
