fool's gold

fool's gold

1. A mineral that resemble golds, such as pyrite. I used to dig up fool's gold all the time as a kid.
2. By extension, something that seems more promising than it really is. Don't invest in his latest wacky invention—no matter how great it seems, it will end up being fool's gold like all the others.
See also: gold
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fool's gold

COMMON If a plan or something you want to achieve is fool's gold, it seems good but in reality is not likely to be successful or of good quality. ID cards are fool's gold. Their only use would be to identify the victims of the next disaster. All we wanted was an honourable settlement. He chose to go after fool's gold and lost. Note: Fool's gold is another name for iron pyrite, a gold-coloured mineral that is found in rock and that people sometimes mistake for gold.
See also: gold
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

fool's gold

something deceptively attractive and promising in appearance.
Fool's gold is the name popularly given to any yellow metal, such as pyrite or chalcopyrite, that may be mistaken for gold.
2003 Nation Many good people have been euchred into falling for the current fool's gold—politicians and lobbyists calling for ‘universal healthcare’.
See also: gold
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • dig down
  • dig (something)
  • look like
  • look like (someone or something)
  • dig in
  • dig in(to) (something)
  • dig into
  • dig (deep) into (one's) pocket(s)
  • dig this
  • on a fool's errand
References in periodicals archive
Taylor's further real role as a trained exorcist proved crucial within the fictional conclusion of Fool's Gold. Further highlights involved Bethany Pickering (a student character and writer) emailing and persuading Bernard Cornwell to appear at the end; Linda Newbury introducing 'Lob' in the section she wrote for us; Alison Weir loaning a ghost story; and Ian McMillan writing 'Nine Pieces of Gold'.
Set in quirky Fool's Gold, Just One Kiss is about a single mom who comes into an inheritance at the same time as a her first teenage crush resurfaces.
"Horton" narrowly beat out Warner Bros.' romantic adventure "Fool's Gold" to place No.
Kate Hudson as Tess, and Matthew McConaughey as Ben 'Finn' Finnegan, in Fool's Gold
The 'Fool's Gold' actor - whose model girlfriend Camila Alves is six months pregnant with their first child - doesn't want his son or daughter to inherit his self-centred nature.
"The outcome of this story is a valuable reminder that true athletic accomplishment is not obtained through cheating and any medal acquired through doping is only fool's gold," said Travis T Tygart, chief executive officer for the US Anti-Doping Agency.
and focus on the words is like deliberately mining fool's gold.
A fool's gold; the story of ancient Spanish treasure, two pounds of pot, and the young lawyer almost left holding the bag.
ANSWERS: 1 The Cheviots' 2 Keir Hardie' 3 Ruddigore' 4 Sweden and Finland' 5 The differential gear' 6 Flashman' 7 A pancake stuffed with spicy meat' 8 Greatgranddaughter' 9 Fool's gold' 10 General Norman Schwarzkopf.
David Morrissey stars as charismatic, coarse and greedy Ripley Holden, who believes the roads in Blackpool are strewn with fool's gold as he sets about turning his amusement arcade into a Vegas-style casino.
To this primary source are added numerous tantalising pointers, nuggets of information that turn out to be as valueless as the fool's gold scattered throughout the region.
Example: Along with iron, the mystery element forms the mineral pyrite--also called "fool's gold." The element gives pyrite its gleaming golden tint, which tricks people into thinking it's the real deal.
Fool's Gold, How Do You Sleep and the mighty She Bangs The Drums might have seemed strange sung in Squire's Bob Dylan croak, but they never sounded more inspiring musically.
They also should watch out for "fool's gold"--individual policies or accounts that look profitable now but won't be in the long term.
"Not one patient got better," he says, adding that he's seen study after study of promising drugs for ALS that turned out to be fool's gold.