once an adult and twice a child

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Alternative form of once an adult, twice a child.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Dạng thay thế của once an adult, twice a child

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Mrs. Collins was nearly ninety years old. Her life fittingly illustrates the old proverb “Once an adult and twice a child.” For a number of years she had been indisposed in mind as well as in body and required almost as much care as a child.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “once an adult and twice a child” mean?

Alternative form of once an adult, twice a child.

Is “once an adult and twice a child” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.