true blue will never stain
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A really noble heart will never disgrace itself. The reference is 19 blue aprons and blouses worn by butchers, which do not show blood-stains.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “true blue will never stain” mean?
A really noble heart will never disgrace itself. The reference is 19 blue aprons and blouses worn by butchers, which do not show blood-stains.
Is “true blue will never stain” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.