feet of clay

noun phrase

: a character flaw that is usually not readily apparent

Examples of feet of clay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But those triumphs could not conceal the fact that the idol had feet of clay. Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'feet of clay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from the feet of the idol in Daniel 2:33

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of feet of clay was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near feet of clay

Cite this Entry

“Feet of clay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feet%20of%20clay. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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