First Impressions
“All that glitters is not gold”, “Still waters run deep”, “Empty vessels make the most noise”: English is unusually well supplied with proverbs warning you off the surface of things. Most of them argue the same way — that the impressive thing is hollow and the quiet thing is not — which tells you something about the culture that kept them.
Practice this set for free — no account needed. Loads 12 flashcards into the learner. The learner asks it as shown here: phrase first, meaning second.
Practice in the free learnerHow to study this set
Sort these as you learn them into the two directions they run: some warn that something looks better than it is, others that someone is better than they look. Reaching for the wrong direction is the usual mistake.
All 12 flashcards
Swap question and answerAppearance is a poor guide to what something really is.
Do not judge a book by its cover.
“The place looks like a shed, but the food is extraordinary — don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Attractive things are not always valuable.
All that glitters is not gold.
“The salary looked wonderful until I read the hours. All that glitters is not gold.”
What something looks like can mislead you.
Appearances can be deceptive.
“He seems shy until you put him on a stage — appearances can be deceptive.”
A quiet person often has real depth or strong feeling.
Still waters run deep.
“She barely spoke all term, then wrote the best essay in the year. Still waters run deep.”
The people with least to say are often the loudest.
Empty vessels make the most noise.
“He dominated the meeting and proposed nothing. Empty vessels make the most noise.”
What counts as beautiful differs from person to person.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
“You hate the building and I love it — beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
Good looks say nothing about the person underneath.
Beauty is only skin deep.
“He is charming to look at and impossible to work with. Beauty is only skin deep.”
People should be judged by their conduct, not their looks.
Handsome is as handsome does.
“She turned up at six in the morning to help him move — handsome is as handsome does.”
How someone dresses shapes how they are treated.
Clothes make the man.
“Wear the good jacket to the interview. Clothes make the man.”
The first impression is the one that sticks.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
“Be early on Monday — you never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
One image conveys more than a long explanation.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
“Just show them the before-and-after chart. A picture is worth a thousand words.”
Withhold judgement until you know what someone is dealing with.
Do not judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.
“He snapped, but his father is dying — don’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes.”
What to learn next
Next: what people are actually like, once you know them.
Continue to Level 2: Habit and Loyalty →