ENGLISH
REFERENCE

reckon without one's host

idiom
Meaning

To calculate one's bill without checking with the host or landlord; hence, to come to false conclusions, to miscalculate.


Examples
SIMPLE

He planned the party but reckoned without his host regarding the budget.

CONTEXTUAL

I thought the project would be easy, but I reckoned without my host and underestimated the difficulty of the task.

COMPLEX

The politician assumed the public would support the new tax, but he had reckoned without his host, failing to anticipate the widespread and intense opposition that followed.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    abound in one's own sense

    To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.

  2. 02

    ace up one's sleeve

    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

  3. 03

    act one's age

    To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.

  4. 04

    act one's age, not one's shoe size

    Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).

  5. 05

    afraid of one's own shadow

    Exceptionally timid.

  6. 06

    air one's dirty laundry in public

    To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.

  7. 07

    air one's dirty linen in public

    Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.

  8. 08

    albatross around one's neck

    A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.

© 2026 English Reference