What does "once too often" means?

Question

I think "once too often" means exactly the same as "very often". Am I right? If not, pleaase tell me in what occasion this idiom is used. Thank you from Japan.

Answer 1

It means one too many times. It is like what we call, "the last straw." It usually means that something is tolerated up to that point, and after that, it isn't okay anymore.

Answer 2

Someone keeps doing the same thing over and over and you finally get tired of it because they did it once too many times. You knew what they were going to do before they did it. An example would be that a person borrows money off of you every week and finally you get tired of it and don't make them the loan because they did it once too often. One too many times.

Answer 3

The phrase "very often" seems docile - it just happens to be something a person does a lot.

But the phrase "once too often" carries with it ideas of suspicion, irritation, annoyance, even pending punishment:

"She went out once too often last week and now her husband suspects she is cheating."

"The child asked the same question once too often, so the teacher sent him to the corner."

" 'Jingle Bell Rock' was played once too often yesterday, which drove me to slam my shoe into the radio and now I need to buy a new one."


I hope that helps a little :)

Answer 4

It is not the same as very often. For example Joe was late to work very often but nothing happened, but then one day, he was late again, and he got fired. He had been late once too often.

It means repeating something beyond the limit of tolerance.

Answer 5

I would use "once too often" to mean: 'Now that you have done that yet again, the circumstances between us have changed for the worse.'

Answer 6

Once too often means one time too many.

Cheating on me even once is once too often.