be not to know

idiomPart ofknow

be not to know — idiom

1. Used to say that someone had no way of realizing they did something wrong.

1.idiom
Definition

Used to say that someone had no way of realizing they did something wrong.

Example

Don't blame him for the mistake; he was not to know.

I'm sorry I broke the vase. You weren't to know it was fragile.