feet of clay

English

Etymology

Used in the Bible, part of the description of the huge statue in the dream of Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

feet of clay pl (plural only)

1. (idiomatic) In someone apparently strong and without failings, a hidden weakness which could lead to downfall.

   He was disillusioned to find that even Lincoln had feet of clay.

   • 1814, Lord Byron, Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte:

     Those Pagod things of sabre-sway, / With fronts of brass, and feet of clay.

   • 1980, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson (lyrics and music), “Happy New Year”, in Super Trouper, performed by Abba:

     Oh yes, man is a fool / And he thinks he'll be okay / Dragging on, feet of clay

Translations

a hidden weak point

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 泥足巨人 (zh) (nízújùrén)

• Danish: lerfødder c pl
• Finnish: savijalat pl
• French: pieds d’argile m
• German: tönerne Füße m pl
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek: πόδες ὀστράκινοι m pl (pódes ostrákinoi)

• Latin: pedes fictiles m pl
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: leirføtter (no) pl

• Polish: na glinianych nogach (almost always in collocation with kolos)
• Russian: гли́няные но́ги f pl (glínjanyje nógi)
• Spanish: pies de barro m pl
• Ukrainian: гли́няні но́ги f pl (hlýnjani nóhy)

See also

• Achilles heel