You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

you can't make a silk purse (out) of a sow's ear

proverb You cannot fashion something beautiful or valuable out of poor materials. You expect me to make a wedding dress out of this tacky fabric? I'm sorry, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!

See also: ear, make, of, purse, silk

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Prov. You cannot make someone more refined than he or she is by nature. I've given up trying to get my cousin to appreciate classical music. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

See also: cannot, ear, make, of, out, purse, silk

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.