proverb · Words worth keeping
A handsome shoe often pinches the foot.
A handsome shoe often pinches the foot.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying makes a handsome shoe pinch its wearer. It contrasts an attractive appearance with discomfort in actual use.
What the words are saying
The shoe gives suitability a concrete test. The supplied gloss about sweeter rewards through pain does not follow this contrast. A useful application asks whether an appealing choice fits its purpose rather than treating suffering as proof that the choice is good.
Everyday example
Someone checks whether an attractive option meets their needs instead of choosing it solely for its presentation.
When to use it
Use it to discuss appearance and practical suitability.
What it does not mean
An attractive option is not necessarily unsuitable, and pain is not proof of value.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 503; PDF page 74
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.