
ProverbHuman Nature
English origin
It's not the gay coat that makes the gentleman.
Meaning: Fine clothing cannot manufacture character; true gentility emerges from conduct and virtue, not appearance.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- 目に入れても痛くない (Me ni irete mo itakunai) Said of someone you adore completely, often a child or grandchild.
- Bête comme ses pieds Really not very bright.
- Avoir un poil dans la main To be incurably lazy.
Keep exploring