
ProverbCommunication
English origin1546
You would make me believe the moon is made of green cheese.
Meaning: Absurd claims require absurd evidence; gullibility has limits even when persuasion is skillful.
Origin: John Heywood's 1546 collection has "the moon is made of a green cheese," and it was already a byword for gullibility. "Green" meant new and unripened, not the color: a young round cheese could look like the pale full moon. Believing such a thing was the mark of a simpleton.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
- Simpatichny (Симпатичный) (Simpatichnyy) Actually means 'good-looking' or 'likeable'. For sympathetic, say сочувствующий (sochuvst…
- Aktualny (Актуальный) (Aktualnyy) Actually means 'topical' or 'currently relevant'. For actual (real), say настоящий (nasto…
- Artist (Артист) (Artist) Actually means 'performer' — an actor, singer or circus artiste. A painter is художник (k…
Keep exploring