feet of clay
In someone apparently strong and without failings, a hidden weakness which could lead to downfall.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I realized my hero had feet of clay.”
“The politician was seen as a perfect leader until his scandal revealed his feet of clay.”
“Though the public revered him as an untouchable icon, his private journals eventually exposed the feet of clay that would ultimately destroy his reputation.”
The image comes from Daniel 2:31-45, where King Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a colossal statue: a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet made partly of iron and partly of clay. A stone strikes the statue at its feet, the brittle mixture gives way, and the whole towering figure collapses. Daniel reads the dream as a succession of kingdoms, but the memorable detail is the flaw at the base: something magnificent brought down by weakness where it stands.
That contrast, imposing surface over fragile foundation, is what carried into English. A giant of gold is only as stable as the clay it rests on.
To have feet of clay is now to be admired but secretly flawed, a hero or institution with a hidden weakness that undermines everything above it. The phrase is used most often of people we once thought unshakeable.
- 01
beat feet
To run.
- 02
drag one's feet
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
- 03
feet first
In the manner of a deceased person (i.e., dead).
- 04
find one's feet
To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.
- 05
foot the bill
To pay for something.
- 06
foot voting
Expressing one's preferences through one's actions, by voluntarily participating in or withdrawing from an activity, group, or process; especially, physical migration to leave a situation one does not like, or to move to a situation one regards as more beneficial.
- 07
get one's feet wet
To begin gaining experience; to tentatively try something new.
- 08
get one's foot in the door
To initiate contact or a relationship; to gain access, especially to an entry-level job.
The rise and fall of kings and the warnings of the prophets.
- 01
David and Goliath (idiom)
A contest in which a much weaker underdog faces a far stronger opponent.
- 02
the writing on the wall (idiom)
A clear sign that something, especially failure or disaster, is on its way.
- 03
a drop in the bucket (idiom)
A quantity so small it is negligible next to what is actually needed.
- 04
a leopard cannot change its spots (idiom)
People rarely change their fundamental nature, however much they may seem to.
- 05
how the mighty have fallen (idiom)
A remark on the dramatic downfall of someone once powerful or admired.
- 06
a still small voice (idiom)
A quiet inner prompting of conscience or intuition.
Last updated August 10, 2026