What Does "Fool Me Once, Shame on You" Mean?

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 25, 2022

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me," is a common proverb, but what is it really saying? Maybe you read it in a book or heard a friend use it in conversation. Don't worry—we'll explain exactly what "fool me once" means and tell you how to use it.

Section 1 of 3:

What does “fool me once, shame on you” mean?

"Fool me once, shame on you" means that people should learn from their mistakes. It's basically saying that it's not your fault if you're tricked by someone, but if you trust them and they trick you again, it's on you. You might hear it like this:^{[1]
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- "Are you trying to pull the same trick on me again? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
- "I really want to trust you again, but it's hard after you lied to me. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."
- "You're asking me to loan you money again? Fool me once, shame on you..."

Section 2 of 3:

How do I use “fool me once, shame on you” in conversation?

1
Refer to learning from a mistake. You can use the proverb to highlight that you've learned from your mistakes.^{[2]
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Research source} Say you're talking with a friend and you're worried they're going to make a mistake—that they should know better. This is a great chance to use "fool me once, shame on you."
- For example, say, "You should think before getting back together with the boyfriend who dumped you. Fool me once, shame on you, you know."
2
Just say “fool me once, shame on you” to imply the whole phrase. There’s no need to include “fool me twice, shame on me” since most people are familiar with the proverb.
- You might hear it like this: “Ever since my daughter swapped the sugar with the salt, I check before I put it into my coffee. Fool me once, shame on you…”

Section 3 of 3:

Where did “fool me once, shame on you” come from?

1
The phrase was first noted in a 17th-century book. In 1650, courtier Anthony Weldon wrote a book describing the court of King James. In The Court and Character of King James he included juicy gossip and political secrets. At one point, he used this phrase for the first time:^{[3]
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- "He that deceives me once, it's his fault; but if twice, it's my fault."
2
Many people link “fool me once, shame on you” to former President George Bush. In 2002, Bush was giving a press conference defending the Iraq War. He famously misquoted the phrase and received a lot of teasing for it. Here's exactly what he said:
- “There’s an old saying in Tennessee—I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”^{[4]
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