feet of clay
Meaning: A hidden weakness in someone or something admired.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “Fans were shocked to learn their hero had feet of clay.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: From the Book of Daniel (2:31–45): Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great statue of gold, silver, bronze and iron standing on feet of iron mixed with clay, which a stone shatters.
Equivalents in other languages
- Swedish: en koloss på lerfötter — literally: a colossus on clay feet
More idioms — Body & Senses
- get to grips with something — To start dealing seriously with a problem.
- get one's hands on something — To obtain something, often with difficulty.
- have one's head screwed on — To be sensible and practical.
- put on a brave face — To look cheerful or confident while feeling otherwise.
- throw up one's hands — To show that one gives up, in despair or frustration.
- lose one's head — To stop thinking clearly because of panic, anger or passion.
More English idioms
- raze to the ground — To destroy a building or town completely.
- the law of the jungle — A situation where the strongest or most ruthless win.
- dig one's own grave — To cause one's own downfall.
- wouldn't hurt a fly — Is very gentle and harmless.
- in borrowed plumes — Pretending to qualities or achievements that belong to someone else.
- come in handy — To be useful when needed.
From our proverbs
- Kindness will always conquer. — Consistent gentleness disarms resistance and achieves goals where force and aggression ul…
- As easy kiss my hand. — Dismissing something as trivially simple often blinds us to hidden difficulty or complexi…
- The ladle cools the pot. — A subordinate's efforts can moderate or restrain a superior's excessive force or passion.