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Etymology (Meaning of Words)/meaning
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Question
l want to know the meaning of "All glitters is not gold" and "Every cloud has a silver lining"
Dear Norashikin:
Here are the actual meanings of the expressions [sometimes called "adages"] --
All that glitters is not gold.
There are many more important things in life than just those things usually considered to be of value, such as gold. The love of another person, for instance, is far more precious than gold. Another example is that any common object -- I have a favorite coffee cup -- can be more valuable than any gem or precious metal. That coffee cup was given to me by a very good friend, who is no longer living. The memory of that friend, however, represented by the coffee cup, is more valuable than gold, and it is not shiny. It does not "glitter" with value, like gold does.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
When our lives are filled with sorrow or hopelessness, we must remember that the dark clouds will eventually pass away. Each cloud is lined with "hope," referred to as "silver."
Ted Nesbitt
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Answers by Expert:
Ted Nesbitt
Expertise
I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE. TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.
Experience
I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.
Education/Credentials
Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.
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