idiom
Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
teech an OLD DOG new TRIKS
/tiːtʃ ən oʊld dɒɡ njuː trɪks/Listen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
teechanOLDDOGnewTRIKS
Dictionary meaning
The idea that it is difficult to make someone change their established habits or learn new methods, especially when they are older and set in their ways.
Examples
- Convincing my father to use a smartphone felt like teaching an old dog new tricks.
- You can teach an old dog new tricks — he learned to code at 65.
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