Be unable to turn something ugly or inferior into something attractive or of value, as in No matter how expensive his clothes, he still looks sloppy--you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. This expression was already a proverb in the mid-1500s.
can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
| Idioms: can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear |
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 | sow (Idiom) |
| purse (Idiom) |
| You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear |
 | Where to find purse making supplies? Read answer... |
| How To Make A Paper Purse? Read answer... |
| How do you make a duct tape purse? Read answer... |
Help us answer these
 | What does the phrase mean You cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear? |
| What is the meaning of to try to make a silk purse out of a sow ear? |
| What does 'make a silk purse out of a sow's ear' mean? |
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Copyrights:
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 | Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
Related answers
- How do you make a purse?
- What is the purpose of silk on and ear of corn?
- Who makes silk?
- How can you make silk?
- How do you make silk?
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Answer these
- Who said you can't make a silk purse from a sows ear?
- You can't make silk purse from a sow's ear?
- Silk purse out of Sow's a Ear?
Mentioned in
- sow (Idiom)
- purse (Idiom)
- You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- ear (Idiom)
- Uptown Down South (1995 Album by Various Artists)
- make (Idiom)
