Have feet of clay Meaning in English
expression
HAV feet uhv KLAY
hav FEET ov klAY
Definition
To appear strong or perfect but secretly have a weakness or hidden flaw, often used for respected people or leaders.
Usage & Nuances
This is an idiomatic, somewhat literary expression, mostly used to describe respected people who are discovered to have a hidden weakness. Not for minor faults—implies a flaw that can change opinions.
Spanish: tener pies de barroPortuguese (BR): ter pés de barroPortuguese (PT): ter pés de barroChinese (Simplified): 有致命缺点Chinese (Traditional): 有致命缺點Hindi: कमज़ोरियां होनाArabic: عيوبه خفيةBengali: মাটির পা থাকাRussian: иметь глиняные ногиJapanese: 弱点があるVietnamese: có điểm yếuKorean: 치명적인 약점이 있다Turkish: kilden ayakları olmakUrdu: کمزوریوں کا حامل ہوناIndonesian: memiliki kelemahan yang fatal
Example Sentences
People admired the leader, but he had feet of clay.
basic
Even heroes can have feet of clay.
basic
She was respected, but she had feet of clay.
basic
We thought our coach was perfect, but he had feet of clay when the scandal came out.
natural
It was disappointing to learn my idol had feet of clay like everyone else.
natural
He inspired millions, but in the end, he had feet of clay that couldn't be ignored.
natural