clay

Related to clay: Henry Clay, Michaels

clay pigeon

A person who is easily exploited, deceived, or taken advantage of, especially due to being in a position of vulnerability. Likened to the clay pigeons (small clay discs) used as targets in trapshooting. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. He was used as a clay pigeon by the mafia, who laundered money through his accounts.
See also: clay, pigeon

clay up

1. To create a sculpture made of clay to be used as the model for a mold. A noun or pronoun can be used between "clay" and "up." I was working for a special effects studio for a while, and it was my job to clay up the various creatures and props before they were put into their silicone molds.
2. To cover a portion of a blade, especially its spine, with a clay or clay-like mixture before tempering the blade in a quenching liquid. A noun or pronoun can be used between "clay" and "up." It's important to clay your blade up before you begin the tempering process, or else your blade could end up cracking.
See also: clay, up

feet of clay

A weakness or failing in someone. The phrase originated in the Bible. I know it's hard to believe, but anyone you admire surely has feet of clay.
See also: clay, feet, of

have clay feet

To have a weakness or failing. The phrase originated in the Bible. I know it's hard to believe, but anyone you admire surely has clay feet.
See also: clay, feet, have

have feet of clay

To have a weakness or failing. The phrase originated in the Bible. I know it's hard to believe, but anyone you admire surely has feet of clay.
See also: clay, feet, have, of

potter's clay

A special type of clay that does not contain iron and is often used for making pottery. OK, class, make sure to get some potter's clay before you sit down at your wheel today.
See also: clay
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

have feet of clay

Fig. [for a strong person] to have a defect of character. All human beings have feet of clay. No one is perfect. Sally was popular and successful. She was nearly fifty before she learned that she, too, had feet of clay.
See also: clay, feet, have, of
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

clay pigeon

A person easily duped or taken advantage of, as in You're a clay pigeon for all of those telephone fund-raisers. The term alludes to the clay pigeon of trapshooting, which replaced the use of live birds in this sport in the 1860s. Its transfer to figurative use in the first half of the 1900s probably is explained by the much older slang use of pigeon for "dupe." Also see fall guy.
See also: clay, pigeon

feet of clay

A failing or weakness in a person's character, as in The media are always looking for a popular idol's feet of clay. This expression comes from the Bible (Daniel 2:31-33), where the prophet interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a statue with a head of gold and feet of iron clay. [c. 1600]
See also: clay, feet, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

have feet of clay

If someone who is admired or respected has feet of clay, they have serious faults or weaknesses which people generally do not know about. When those idols are found to have feet of clay the pain of disappointment can be profound. He's just another rock star with feet of clay. Note: You can also say that someone has clay feet. King writes endlessly about his subject's clay feet. Note: According to the Bible, King Nebuchadnezzar asked Daniel to explain his dream of a giant idol, which was made of gold, silver, brass, and iron, but had feet made partly from clay. Daniel told the king that the clay feet were a sign of weakness and vulnerability. (Daniel 2:33)
See also: clay, feet, have, of
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

have feet of clay

have a fatal flaw in a character that is otherwise powerful or admirable.
This expression alludes to the biblical account of a magnificent statue seen in a dream by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. It was constructed from fine metals, all except for its feet which were made of clay; when these were smashed, the whole statue was brought down and destroyed. Daniel interprets this to signify a future kingdom that will be ‘partly strong, and partly broken’, and will eventually fall (Daniel 2:31–5).
See also: clay, feet, have, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

feet of ˈclay

a surprising fault or weakness in the character of somebody who is admired and respected: Why are people always surprised when they discover that their heroes have feet of clay?This idiom comes from a story in the Bible, where the king of Babylon saw an image with a head of gold and feet of clay.
See also: clay, feet, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

clay

n. good-quality hashish. (Drugs.) Ask John where you can dig up some clay.

clay pigeon

n. a gullible person; a pigeon. (Underworld.) We need a clay pigeon to divert attention from the snatch.
See also: clay, pigeon
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

feet of clay

An underlying weakness or fault: "They discovered to their vast discomfiture that their idol had feet of clay, after placing him upon a pedestal" (James Joyce).
See also: clay, feet, of
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

feet of clay, to have

A failing or fault in one who is held in high regard. The term comes from the Bible’s Book of Daniel (2:33), in which the prophet interprets King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an image of gold, silver, and brass, but “his feet part of iron and part of clay.” These feet were what made the image vulnerable and, according to Daniel, predicted the breakup of the empire.
See also: feet, have, of
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

feet of clay

A flaw or vulnerability of someone who is otherwise admirable. In the Bible's Book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed that he saw a statue made of gold, silver, and brass, but with feet of clay. Daniel interpreted the vision to mean that the clay symbolized the Babylonian Empire's vulnerability and imminent collapse. (See Achilles' heel.)
See also: clay, feet, of
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • clay pigeon
  • there's one born every minute
  • greenhorn
  • be born yesterday
  • get (one's) rocks off on (something)
  • drool bucket
  • speak the same language
  • speak the same language, to
  • speak/talk the same/a different language
  • thumb on the scale
References in periodicals archive
It has two origins: one is the isomorphic substitution in the tetrahedral and/or octahedral sheet of the clay mineral layer and the other is the dissociation of aluminum groups on the edges [58].
Characterization of Colombian Clay and Its Potential Use as Adsorbent
The cost of processed clay and bentonite prompted many researchers to investigate the use of local materials.
The Compressibility and Swell of Mixtures for Sand-Clay Liners
You can roll out the clay with a glass or rolling pin, and you can press patterns in the clay using stamps or make lines with a toothpick.
Clay basics
In acid treatment process,oil is treated with sulfuric acid to remove aromatics and other non-hydrocarbons, followed by treatment with clay to neutralize and improve appearance, color and color stability by removing colored and colorless pigments and also improve oxidation stability of the final oil products [8-10].The acid sludge at the bottom, formed from the acid treatment of oil is a black or dark brown in color and containing some harmful sulfonic acid and some impurities [11,12].
IMPROVING DIFFERENT PARAMETERS OF TRANSFORMER OIL FROM PAKISTAN NATIONAL REFINERY LIMITED
It is more difficult to mull and help the clay to attach to the sand grains, so more mull energy is required.
Bentonite clay's role in green sand systems
Asia-Pacific accounts for the largest share in the global clay product and refractory manufacturing market.
Clay Product And Refractory Market 2019 Size, Growth, Value and Key Companies Research Report
People have used clay pots for centuries, but the trend subsided with the easy availability of refrigerators.
Trend of earthen water pitchers persists in twin cities
"Clay acts like a magnet, and draws out everything from underneath the skin," said Sarah Inomata, skincare expert and sales executive at Boscia, the brand famous for its peel-off Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask, which combines the purifying powers of clay and charcoal.
In use since the Romans, clay remains one of the best skincare treatments
He said that the demand of clay pots was higher than its supply and low supply was due to lack of skilled workers.
Lack of skilled hands poses threat to survival of clay pots
For a garden party, use simple clay pots as serving pieces.
Party Pots: Simple day pots make wonderful serving containers
The most basic step of skincare is key and that's what Pond's Mineral Clay Facial Cleansing Collection targets.
Clay Cleansing: The Secret To An Effective Skincare Routine
However, before molding, the clay, first of all, must undergo some sort of purification before pottery-making commences.
Understanding relevance of domestic clay pots in Yorubaland
Nadal has a tough task though, as he needs to win all the clay events he won from last year in order to (http://www.ibtimes.com/how-rafael-nadal-can-remain-world-no-1-ahead-roger-federer-2666163) remain at the top of the rankings .
Federer, Djokovic And Others Explain Why Nadal Dominates On Clay
Most potters have experienced the effects of soluble salt migration in a clay body that can occur in the drying, bisque, or glaze firing stages.
Q&A: Soluble Salt Migration