put lipstick on a pig

put lipstick on a pig

To make some superficial or cosmetic change to something so that it seems more attractive, appealing, or successful than it really is. The only things the new manager has come up with to save the restaurant have been to put lipstick on a pig, but slapping on a fresh coat of paint and making a few repairs will do nothing to address the underlying problems. It looks like they've just put lipstick on a pig for this new operating system. It's still just as buggy and unintuitive as the last one they released.
See also: lipstick, on, pig, put
References in periodicals archive ?
As President Obama once said, "You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig.
Any way Spencer slices it: $1.7 million
As Barack Obama said, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it will still be a pig.
Drennan is under new pressure to quit post; MURPHY REPORT
On one side is a photo of US president Barack Obama with lipstick on his face with the words: "You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig, and the USA will still be the USA.
Slur on MP by 'nutters'
Obama appeared on a popular late night talk show, and the host asked him if he had every actually tried to put lipstick on a pig.
US election diary: Stupid season
You can put lipstick on a pig," he said to an outbreak of laughter, shouts and raucous applause from an audience in Virginia on Tuesday.
INTERNATIONAL: Lipstick sparks new war of words
They might have something to prove, but you can't put lipstick on a pig and turn it into a horse,'' said USC defensive end/zoologist Lawrence Jackson.
WOLVERINES READY TO FEAST
I return to that old aphorism: You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.
All the president's enables: in the second year of Bush's second term, former officials and journalists are already writing the history of his administration. The story isn't pretty
Marsh told viewers that Megson might have made Sean Gregan his top summer signing but that 'you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig'.
Megson's Sky larks over pig dig
In a comment many believe was aimed at Palin, the Illinois senator said: "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.
RESULT!: Obama's had his chips as McCain takes lead
John Kerry during the 2004 election: ``You can put lipstick on a pig, and it's still a pig.
PUBLIC FORUM
Obama told supporters: "You can put lipstick on a pig, and it is still a pig.
Watch out, Obama, you're the one acting like a swine
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