phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

Nothing is what it seems

Posted by Henry on January 07, 2005

In Reply to: Meaning-> Nothing is what it seems posted by David FG on January 07, 2005

: : what is the meaning of Nothing is what it seems?

: I think it means that one should not rely upon appearances to make judgements: there is more to everything than simply what it looks like.

: I know this is a somewhat prolix way of putting it, but I am struggling to find a concise way of rephrasing it. I'm sure someone will do better.

: DFG

At a simple level, You can't tell a book by its cover. The phrase can indicate that people's intentions are not always clear - a person may have an ulterior motive. Things that appear permanent may prove to be temporary. The phrase can cover all situations, but is often used when the performance of someone or something has been disappointing.

© 1997 – 2024 Phrases.org.uk. All rights reserved.