feet of clay

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Related to feet of clay: led by the nose

feet of clay

A weakness or failing in someone. The phrase originated in the Bible. I know it's hard to believe, but anyone you admire surely has feet of clay.

See also: clay, feet, of

feet of clay

A failing or weakness in a person's character, as in The media are always looking for a popular idol's feet of clay. This expression comes from the Bible (Daniel 2:31-33), where the prophet interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a statue with a head of gold and feet of iron clay. [c. 1600]

See also: clay, feet, of

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

feet of ˈclay

a surprising fault or weakness in the character of somebody who is admired and respected: Why are people always surprised when they discover that their heroes have feet of clay?This idiom comes from a story in the Bible, where the king of Babylon saw an image with a head of gold and feet of clay.

See also: clay, feet, of

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

feet of clay

An underlying weakness or fault: "They discovered to their vast discomfiture that their idol had feet of clay, after placing him upon a pedestal" (James Joyce).

See also: clay, feet, of

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

feet of clay

A flaw or vulnerability of someone who is otherwise admirable. In the Bible's Book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed that he saw a statue made of gold, silver, and brass, but with feet of clay. Daniel interpreted the vision to mean that the clay symbolized the Babylonian Empire's vulnerability and imminent collapse. (See Achilles' heel.)

See also: clay, feet, of

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References in periodicals archive ?

No giants in the Saturday roundtable, and we all had feet of clay. But for the 10 or so years that the roundtable lasted, it was a wonderful intellectual experience.

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The recording is almost saved by Neil Young, but even he shows his feet of clay, relying too heavily on his old songwriting device of repeating a line whenever he thinks it might come across as profound.

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Al Conrad, New Hope Pipe Liners' Sales and Marketing Representative, said U-Liner was used to rehabilitate 4700 of the 5400 feet of clay pipe.

Pharmaceutical Firm Rehabilitates Chemical Waste Line Using Trenchless HDPE Pipe Liner System

Does it matter if `the great and the good' have feet of clay?

Private lives can affect public duties

Mr Right turns out to have feet of clay and you would be far better off looking for someone else.

I 'm worried my Mr Right may turn out to be My Wrong

In a recent New York Review of Books (February 20) Gordon Wood reminds us that it is not Jefferson's feet of clay, the feet of an eighteenth-century slaveholder still partially set in the beliefs of his age, that matter; rather, it is his "transcendent statements" we need to honor, statements in which the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness seem to be extended to all.

Good Wives, Nasty Wenches, and Anxious Patriarchs

Silk notes that Peter Steinfels, senior religion writer for the New York Times, finds a limited number of religion stories: "religious leader reveals feet of clay, ancient faith struggles to adjust to modern times, scholars challenge long-standing beliefs, interfaith harmony overcomes inherited enmity, new translation of sacred scripture sounds funny, and devoted members of a zealous religious group turn out to be warm, ordinary folks." These six and their variations, no matter how convoluted, present multiple opportunities for anti-religious stereotyping.

Unsecular Media: Making News of Religion in America

Burns does not neglect the sport's warts, most prominently the bigotry that kept blacks out of the major leagues until 1947, or hesitate to reveal the feet of clay of many of its idols.

Baseball

The trilogy includes Les Grandes Familles (1948, Prix Goncourt; translated as The Rise of Simon Lachaume, 1952), La Chute des corps (1950; translated as Feet of Clay, 1959), and Rendezvous aux enfers (1951; translated as Rendezvous in Hell, 1959).

Druon, Maurice

Find Feet of Clay on Facebook to find out more about the band's upcoming gigs and projects.

Band are definitely giving it their best; MUSICAL HIGH Kirkwood lead singer set for live showcase

Gadon's malpractice is just a subplot in the shameless, shameful drama being staged at the 'Mount Olympus' annex (in Baguio City) by 'gods' who 'have feet of clay' and are just as despicable as any mortal can be.

'Shameless, shameful drama'

Yes, it was a long time ago and Wells is certain of his innocence but, if any of our heroes have feet of clay, we deserve to know.

Sad day for sports star

NO FEET OF CLAY Nadal wants to defy his doubters in Paris

RAF IS SET TO SLAY ON CLAY AGAIN

In the light of recent revelations of people in high places with feet of clay, why on earth are we prepared to hand over this licence for unprecedented influence over our police service, knowing that absolute power corrupts absolutely?

Planning to spoil my ballot paper; Yousay IN YOUR OPINION..

Feet of clay There's something in the air today, I think it's brand new, I know not what it is yet, I feel its Presence, a shadow of you, Here by my side an ever inside All of my dreams, Who took my heart, tore it apart And just ripped its seams, Sailing away leaving me, the 'why' Ever in my mind, That last night, the silence from our Fight, now desperate to find, The girl, at last the one, that I met One rainy, night, Alone in a darkened bar, we talked till The morning light, There's something in the air tonight that Wasn't there yesterday, She's gone and so is my bank balance, What's in the air today?