hide one's light under a bushel
To conceal one's positive qualities or talents, especially due to modesty or shyness; to avoid attention.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You are talented, so do not hide your light under a bushel.”
“She is a brilliant artist, but she tends to hide her light under a bushel when people ask about her work.”
“Despite his profound expertise in the field, he often hides his light under a bushel, preferring to let his colleagues take the credit for his innovations.”
The phrase originates from a parable of Jesus Christ recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke in the Bible. The imagery involves the lighting of a candle, which the text suggests one would not then proceed to cover with a bushel, a dry-measure vessel with a capacity of eight gallons. The parable serves as an instruction to Christians to permit their good works to be visible to others rather than obscured by a container of grain.
The specific phrasing entered the common idiom via the King James Version of the Bible. In the book of Matthew, the text addresses the followers with the pronoun Ye, identifying them as the light of the world and noting that a city set on a hill cannot be hid. The bushel in question was a standard agricultural measure, repurposed in the text as an improbable and rather suffocating lampshade.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026