there is more to (someone or something) than meets the eye
(redirected from there is more to them than meets the eye)there is more to (someone or something) than meets the eye
Something or someone has more merit, import, or facets than is initially perceived. Don't discount Fred as a candidate for this job—there's more to him than meets the eye. This story goes deeper—there's definitely more to it than meets the eye.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
there's more to something/someone than meets the eye
COMMON If you say that there is more to something or someone than meets the eye, you mean that they are more complicated or interesting than they appear. I'm not sure I believe Molly's version of events — something tells me there's more to this than meets the eye. There is more to this giggly style of television presenting than meets the eye. On the surface, she seemed shy — mousy even, but there was a great deal more to her than met the eye.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
there's more to someone or something than meets the eye
a person or situation is more complex or interesting than they appear.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
there’s more to somebody/something than meets the ˈeye
a thing or a person is more complicated, difficult, interesting, etc., than it appears: Sailing isn’t easy — there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye. ♢ Colleagues felt that there was more to his resignation than met the eye.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
more (to it) than meets the eye
One is seeing only the surface or a portion of something that has a deeper or larger significance. This nineteenth-century term became a favorite British cliché, as well as the object of fun. John Galsworthy used it in The Man of Property (1906): “‘There’s more here, sir,’ says the Inspector over the dead body, ‘than meets the eye.’” Critic Alexander Woollcott quoted actress Tallulah Bankhead as quipping about the revival of a play by Maurice Maeterlinck, “There is less in this than meets the eye.” See also tip of the iceberg, (only) the.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
- there's more to somebody/something than meets the eye
- there's more to someone or something than meets the eye
- there's more to something/someone than meets the eye
- be more to (someone or something) than meets the eye
- more than meets the eye
- there's more than meets the eye
- be more than meets the eye
- recognize (someone or something) as (someone or something)
- recognize as
- bad news