"Learn one's lesson" means to gain wisdom, knowledge, or a change in behavior as a result of a negative experience.
"Learn one's lesson" means to gain wisdom, knowledge, or a change in behavior as a result of a negative experience.
Olivia tried to cheat on the test and got caught. I hope she learned her lesson.
It is commonly used to express that someone has understood the negative consequences of their actions and, as a result, is unlikely to repeat that same mistake.
We think he's learned his lesson about driving without a seatbelt after that scare he had last week.
Note that in all these examples, the person has gone through an experience that had negative consequences. The lesson learned is often a change in behavior or a newfound understanding of something important.
I once forgot to back up my computer and lost a month's worth of work. I learned my lesson and now back up my files regularly.
"Learn the hard way" is a closely related idiom that implies learning when hardship or negative consequences are involved.
