Example
“The brochure looks great, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
Dictionary details
Related idioms
Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.
once bitten, twice shy
Neutral · CEFR B2
a bad experience makes you cautious about repeating it
better late than never
Neutral · CEFR A2
Doing something after a delay is better than not doing it at all.
actions speak louder than words
Neutral · CEFR B1
What you do matters more than what you say.
don't judge a book by its cover
Neutral · CEFR B1
appearances can be misleading, so assess things properly
dry run
Neutral · CEFR B1
a full practice session of a process, done for real except in name
every cloud has a silver lining
Neutral · CEFR B1
Every difficult situation has some hopeful or positive aspect.
Source methodology
Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.