burn one's fingers
to suffer from a bad experience

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

burn fingers
burn (your) fingers
to have a bad result from something, esp. to lose money.
Many investors burned their fingers on those stocks.

The museum has gotten burned on several paintings purchased recently that have turned out to be fakes.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

burn one's fingers
to suffer from a bad experience
My father burned his fingers in the stock market and he does not want to invest money there again.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

burn one's fingers
v. phr., informal To get in trouble doing something and fear to do it again; learn caution through an unpleasant experience.
He had burned his fingers in the stock market once, and didn't want to try again.
Some people can't be told; they have to burn their fingers to learn.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲