painful lesson
collocation in Englishmeaningsofpainfulandlesson
These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withlesson.
painful
adjective
uk/ˈpeɪn.fəl/us/ˈpeɪn.fəl/
causing emotional or ...
See more atpainful
lesson
noun[C]
uk/ˈles.ən/us/ˈles.ən/
a period of time in which a person is taught about a subject or how to ...
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(Definition ofpainfulandlessonfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)
Examplesofpainful lesson
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
The experience of the period between the wars had taught thepainfullessonthat this would just breed resentment and vengeful sentiments.
From theCambridge English Corpus
We now find out that in opposition they have unlearned thatpainfullesson, which took them so many years to learn.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We have also had to learn a verypainfullesson.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Thatpainfullessonhas been learnt.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Where those aims are concerned, we were of course taught a hard andpainfullessonin the last two summers: last year we had floods; this year it was fire.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
I think, too, that we have all learnt apainfullessonas to the attempt to deal with the problem of coast erosion in hurriedly undertaken relief works.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
A girl learns thepainfullessonof letting go of want and desire when her father insists on leaving her newfound stray dog.
From
Wikipedia
If we look at the painful lessons learned, they have not been learned only by the engineers and the accountants.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Lessons have of course been learned over many years—in some cases painful lessons.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Lessons have, of course, been learned over many years—in some cases, painful lessons.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is the hope of many that sharp and even painful lessons have been learnt.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It seemed that 1,000 years of our history and the painful lessons that we should have learnt about military preparedness have been completely, almost wilfully, forgotten.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We must show respect for the suffering of the victims, and integrate these painful lessons, in unity and mutual tolerance, into our common history and common memory.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
The gifts are gifts of beauty, surprise, laughter, intricacy, and sometimes painful lessons, which are a joy delayed.
From
Wikipedia
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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