all that glistens is not gold
all that glistens is not gold
Things that have an outward appeal are often not as beautiful or valuable as they seem. I don't know if that necklace from the flea market will have the resale value you're anticipating. All that glistens is not gold, you know. A: "I want to grow up to be a movie star, then I won't have a care in the world!" B: "Just remember that all that glistens is not gold. The pressures of fame can be difficult." Yeah, that car is exquisite-looking, but it's not very well made—my friend has one, and it's in the shop practically every week. Talk about "all that glistens is not gold."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
ˌall that ˌglitters/ˌglistens/ˌglisters is not ˈgold
(saying) not everything that seems good, attractive, etc. is actually good, etc: Don’t imagine that because they are rich, they are happy. All that glitters is not gold.The verbs in this idiom all mean ‘shine brightly’.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017