you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear” mean?
It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.
Is “you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.