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experience

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harrowing experience

An experience that is frightening, chilling, or disturbing, either due to an implied or actual element of danger, or from being physically or emotionally unpleasant. With so much traffic, cycling in this city can be a harrowing experience. Walking through that graveyard last night was quite the harrowing experience. The film is very good, but it's a bit of a harrowing experience; it doesn't shy away from intense subject matter.

See also: experience

jarring experience

An experience that creates an acute sense of shock, confusion, or bewilderment. That car accident was such a jarring experience, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep for days. You need better use of transitional sentences in your paper. Jumping from point to point like that will be a jarring experience for the reader.

See also: experience, jar

chalk (something) up to experience

To regard a bad situation, action, or outcome as a learning experience rather than dwelling on its negative impact. I know you're upset about failing your exam, but just chalk it up to experience and try harder next time!

See also: chalk, experience, up

experience is the mother of wisdom

Most wisdom is gained by experiencing different things (compared to acquiring knowledge through schooling or other means). A few years ago, I couldn't even get behind the wheel without having panic attacks, but, with practice, I'm much calmer and can drive with no problems. Experience is the mother of wisdom after all.

See also: experience, mother, of, wisdom

Experience is the best teacher.

Prov. You will learn more from things that happen to you in real life than you will from hearing about or studying things that happen to other people. I don't care how many books you read about how to run a business; experience is the best teacher. The nurse believed that experience was the best teacher when it came to developing a bedside manner, so she made sure that all her students spent a lot of time with patients.

See also: experience, teacher

Experience is the father of wisdom,

 and Experience is the mother of wisdom.

Prov. The more that happens to you, the more you will learn. I never understood why supervisors got so frustrated with me until I became a supervisor and got frustrated with my subordinates. Experience was definitely the mother of wisdom, in my case.

See also: experience, father, of, wisdom

Experience is the teacher of fools.

Prov. Only fools do not learn after seeing other people's mistakes and insist on repeating them. Father: You should spend more time studying and less time having fun with your friends. If I had been a better student when I was your age, I'd have a better job now. Son: Oh, come on, Dad. School's worthless. Father: Don't make the same mistake I did! Experience is the teacher of fools.

See also: experience, fool, of, teacher

growth experience

 and growth opportunity; learning experience

Euph. an unpleasant experience. This job has been a growth experience for me. I've learned so much. Jim said that his trip to Mexico turned out to be a real learning experience.

See also: experience, growth

put something down to experience

  (British, American & Australian) also chalk something up to experience (American & Australian)

to decide that instead of being upset about something bad that you have done or that has happened, you will learn from it 'I'm so ashamed. I let him take advantage of me.' 'Don't be so hard on yourself. Just put it down to experience.'

See also: down, experience, put