# The phrase "clay feet"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-clay-feet/8094>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 4, 2000, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-clay-feet/8094 "2000-03-04T05:03:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Catch22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Catch22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catch22)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2000, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-clay-feet/8094/1 "2000-03-04T05:03:00Z")

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What does the phrase “clay feet” mean? I can’t find it in any of my phrase dictionaries.

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**Author:** ![Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trout_Mask_Replica)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-clay-feet/8094/2 "2000-03-04T05:34:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by Catch22:  
> **What does the phrase “clay feet” mean? I can’t find it in any of my phrase dictionaries.**

## ‘Feet of clay’ refers to a fault in something that might not be readily apparent. It comes from a passage in the book of Daniel where King Nebuchadnezzar dreams about a huge statue with feet made of clay. The feet are shattered by a rock, and the whole thing tumbles down.

TMR  
The fact that somewhere a camera is secretly pointed right up the business end of a toilet  
and somewhere else someone is hacking a password so we can see it for free is all the thanks we need.  
– From [http://www.oldmanmurray.com](http://www.oldmanmurray.com)

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-clay-feet/8094/3 "2000-03-05T06:48:00Z")

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Catch22 - you might want to add _Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable_ to your list of phrase books. It’s over a century old, never been out of print, is a fun book to dip into for a minute or an hour, and it answers just this type of question:

“ **To have feet of clay.** Said of someone hiherto held in high regard or in an important position who shows diasappointing weakness of character. The allusion is to _Dan._ ii, 31-45. The image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream had a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay.”

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and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe