# reckon without one's host

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/reckon-without-ones-host
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- He planned the party but reckoned without his host regarding the budget.
- I thought the project would be easy, but I reckoned without my host and underestimated the difficulty of the task.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.