true

be too good to be true

if something is too good to be true, you do not believe it can really be as good as it seems. The job turned out to be really boring. I knew it was too good to be true.

See also: good

ring true

if something someone has said or written rings true, it seems to be true. Something about the story didn't quite ring true. (often negative)

See also: ring

see someone in their true colours

show someone in their true colours - to show what someone's real character is, especially when it is unpleasant. At last he saw her in her true colours as a liar and a cheat.

See also: colour, see

see someone's true colours

show someone in their true colours - to show what someone's real character is, especially when it is unpleasant. It wasn't until we started to live together that I saw her true colours.

See also: colour, see

show someone in their true colours

to show what someone's real character is, especially when it is unpleasant. By showing the terrorists in their true colours, the government hopes to undermine public support for them.

See also: colour, show

show your true colours

show someone in their true colours - to show what someone's real character is, especially when it is unpleasant. When someone is faced with such a terrible ordeal, it shows their true colours.

See also: colour, show

There's many a true word spoken in jest.

something that you say when you think that something someone has said as a joke may really be true or become true. 'At this rate we'll be walking all night.' 'Be careful - there's many a true word spoken in jest.'

See also: jest, many, word

tried and tested/trusted (British, American & Australian, American)

used by many people and proved to be effective. They ran a highly successful advertising campaign using a tried and tested formula. Most people would prefer to stick to tried and true methods of birth control.

See also: test, trust

true to form/type

if someone does something true to form, they behave in the bad way that you would expect them to. True to form, she turned up an hour later than we'd arranged.

See also: form, type

true-blue (American & Australian)

if someone is true-blue, they support something or someone completely. Tom's true-blue - he won't let us down. They want control of the company to remain in true-blue American hands.

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come true

to happen as hoped for. The good things we've been hoping for are actually coming true.

a dream come true

See also: come

a dream come true

something that has been desired for a long time that has happened as hoped for. Our vacation by the ocean was a dream come true.

come true

See also: come, dream

ring true

to seem to be accurate or sincere. The book rang true because the author had actually experienced the ordeal of being marooned on an island. Cooper's reassuring words didn't ring true with everyone.

Usage notes: often used with not, as in the example, and often used in the forms the ring of truth or a ring of truth: Speaking as a parent of boys, I can tell you her comments have the ring of truth.

ring hollow

See also: ring

show someone's/something's true colors

to let others see what someone or something is really like. Hal's wife showed her true colors by getting a second job when he lost his. Workers felt the company revealed its true colors during the crisis.

See also: color, show

too good to be true

not to be believed or likely to be real. They told me I'd be going on business trips to Europe, but it sounded too good to be true.

See also: good

true enough

correct or accurate, but not completely explaining something. It's true enough that he had doubts about the project, but we have to look further to understand why he resigned so quickly.

See also: enough

true to form

as can be expected. True to form, he tried to get out of helping wash the dishes.

See also: form

true to your word

as you promised. True to his word, he paid back the money I had loaned him.

See also: word