Experience

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on September 09, 2005

In Reply to: Experience posted by SL from Down Under on September 09, 2005

: Do the phrases "Chalk it up to experience" and "Put it down to experience" mean the same thing? If not, can anyone please enlighten me as to their respective meanings?
Yes, they do, and the underlying metaphor in both cases is of keeping accounts - you have made a loss, and must record it in your accounts under the heading "experience". In the case of "chalk it up" you imagine these accounts being written on a slate, in "put it down", think of them being written in an account book. (VSD)