English Reference
Idiom idiom

pearls before swine


Something of value, beauty, refinement, or wisdom left to people who will not appreciate it.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Giving him that rare book is like casting pearls before swine.

CONTEXTUAL

She spent hours explaining the complex symphony to her bored friends, feeling like she was casting pearls before swine.

COMPLEX

The professor realized that offering his deepest philosophical insights to an audience only interested in gossip was merely casting pearls before swine.


See cast pearls before swine.


Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    cast pearls before swine

    To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate them.

  2. 02

    pearl of wisdom

    A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.

Last updated August 10, 2026