keep up appearances
To act as though everything is normal or fine in times of trouble. I tried very hard to keep up appearances as I fell further and further into credit card debt.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
keep up appearances
to make things look all right whether they are or not. We must keep up appearances even if it means little sacrifices here and there. Things may be unpleasant, but we will keep up appearances.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
keep up appearances
COMMON
1. If you keep up appearances, you pretend that a situation is good and as it should be, even though it is not. I was determined to keep up appearances by pretending nothing was wrong. The marriage was failing, but we tried to keep up appearances for the sake of the children.
2. If you keep up appearances, you try to behave and dress in a way that people expect of you, even if you can no longer afford it. His parents' obsession with keeping up appearances haunted his childhood.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
keep up appearances
maintain an impression of wealth or well-being.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
keep up apˈpearances
hide the true situation and pretend that everything is still going well: She’s lost all her money, but she’s determined to keep up appearances.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017