The finest shoe often hurts the foot.
Meaning: Beauty and perfection in appearance frequently come at the cost of comfort and practical well-being.
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.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- God tempers the wind to the shorn sheep. — Hardship diminishes in proportion to one's vulnerability, or mercy matches misfortune.
- Short and sweet like a donkey's gallop. — Brief moments of intensity fade quickly, so appreciate their value without expecting perm…
- Every one can tame a shrew but he that hath her. — Only those outside a difficult relationship can judge or manage it; those within suffer i…
- Few people are out of the reach of slander. — Most individuals lack sufficient obscurity or virtue to escape false accusations and mali…
- Slander leaves a score behind it. — Spoken harm creates lasting damage that the victim carries long after the words fade.
- One hour's sleep before midnight is worth two hours after. — Early sleep aligns with natural circadian rhythms, making pre-midnight rest more restorat…
From our compliments & insults
- Tu as du chien — You have a certain irresistible magnetism — a je-ne-sais-quoi that draws people in.
- Tu as la tête sur les épaules — You're grounded, sensible, and dependable — not easily swept off course.
- Tu as le vent en poupe — Everything is going your way — you're riding a wave of momentum and success.