Make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear
phrase
To try to create something valuable or beautiful from materials or circumstances that don't seem capable of producing that result.
Many people doubted that the dilapidated house could ever be made attractive again, but the interior designer wanted to try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Often appears as...
- try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- making a silk purse out of a sow's ear
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
To try to create something valuable or beautiful from materials or circumstances that don't seem capable of producing that result.
Many people doubted that the dilapidated house could ever be made attractive again, but the interior designer wanted to try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Often appears as...
- try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- making a silk purse out of a sow's ear
Usage tips
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Idiomatic Nature
Understand that it is an idiomatic expression and not meant to be taken literally.
He thinks he can cook a gourmet meal with instant noodles; that's like trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Pro Tip 2/3Implied Difficulty
It suggests an attempt to do something very difficult or impossible.
The team is trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear by fixing the old, rusty car.
Pro Tip 3/3Optimism vs. Reality
It's often used to highlight an optimistic person's unrealistic goals.
She believes she can transform the barren land into a garden, truly making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
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