[know] better
1
to be wise enough to avoid certain behaviors or thoughts
The idiom "know better" is rooted in the idea that individuals should possess the wisdom or experience to make more informed and thought-out decisions. This expression is commonly used to indicate that a person should have the knowledge or experience to make wiser and more informed choices in a given situation.
- He knows better than to mess with a good customer.
- She knew better than to go sailing in stormy weather.
- Even though he was tempted to skip studying for the test, he knew better and chose to prepare diligently.
- I used to believe in get-rich-quick schemes, but now I know better and focus on long-term financial planning.
- The company's executives should have known better than to ignore customer complaints for so long.