leopard

a leopard can't change its spots

proverb One will stay true to one's nature, even if one pretends or claims otherwise. After our breakup, he came crawling back, trying to convince me that he'd changed, but I know that a leopard can't change its spots.
See also: change, leopard, spot

a leopard doesn't change its spots

proverb One will stay true to one's nature, even if one pretends or claims otherwise. After our breakup, he came crawling back, trying to convince me that he'd changed, but I know that a leopard doesn't change its spots.
See also: change, leopard, spot
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

leopard cannot change his spots

Prov. One cannot change the basic way one is. Bill may say he'll stop being so jealous after Cindy marries him, but I doubt he will. A leopard can't change his spots.
See also: cannot, change, leopard, spot
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

leopard cannot change its spots, a

Also, the tiger cannot change its stripes. One can't change one's essential nature. For example, He's a conservative, no matter what he says; the leopard cannot change its spots. These metaphoric expressions both originated in an ancient Greek proverb that appears in the Bible (Jeremiah 13:23): "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" It was first recorded in English in 1546.
See also: cannot, change, leopard
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

a leopard does not change its spots

or

a leopard cannot change its spots

mainly BRITISH
If you say that a leopard does not change its spots or a leopard cannot change its spots, you mean that it is not possible for someone bad or unpleasant to change and become good and pleasant. A liar is a liar, and a leopard cannot change its spots. Note: This expression is often varied. This racist leopard has in no way changed his spots. I believe a leopard can change his spots, and this guy is really committed. Note: A form of this proverb is used in the Bible, by the prophet Jeremiah, to say that wicked people never change: `Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.' (Jeremiah 13:23)
See also: change, does, leopard, not, spot
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

a leopard can't change his spots

people can't change their basic nature. proverb
See also: change, leopard, spot
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

a leopard cannot change its ˈspots

(saying) a person’s character does not change: A dictator is unlikely to become a good leader in a democracy. A leopard cannot change its spots.
See also: cannot, change, leopard, spot
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • as one door closes, another (one) opens
  • as one door closes, another one opens
  • as one door closes, another opens
  • drive (one) out of office
  • force (one) out of office
  • force out of office
  • give (someone) an inch and (someone) (will) take a mile
  • give (someone) an inch and (someone) (will) take a yard
  • give head
  • give (one) (one's) head
References in periodicals archive
Other measures to improve leopard protection include installing alerts and slow-down signs on highways, as well as removing hedges near road-kill hotspots.
Taiwan's leopard cat lives saved by road culverts
The leopard sustained heavy injuries on her right leg and head.
West Bengal: Injured leopard attacks man in Alipurduar
He further expressed that the relevant departments, conservationists, and wildlife managers have a variety of tools to lessen the conflict, however, in the Galyat forests of Abbottabad, they seem to have been unsuccessful so far which is a significant threat to the already threatened population of common leopards throughout Pakistan.
Villagers kill leopard in Neelan valley, Abbottabad
Our goal is to provide skill development for enhanced livelihood opportunities aiming to change the perception of local communities and to minimize the human snow leopard conflicts in these valleys, he added.
Conserving snow leopard through livelihood enhancement of communities in remote Chitral valley
"The forest officials have been urging the villagers not to sleep in the open and also to keep their domesticated animals indoors to avert any leopard attacks," the forest officer said.
Woman Fights Off Leopard Who Attacked Her 18-Month-Old Baby
'Efforts to raise awareness among locals and other conservation activities are underway in 15 to 20 villages,' said Jafaruddin, the Chitral deputy director for the Snow Leopard Foundation, one of the organisations part of the UNDP-funded project.
In new light: Will the grey ghost vanish before our eyes?
He warned that if workers killed the endangered species of leopard without any solid reason, they would be taken to justice.
Remains of leopard killed by workers seized
Since the 20th century, the leopard is listed in the Red Book.
Leopard cub found in Azerbaijan
Whenever I don one of my lovely leopard print pieces, the words 'Bet Lynch' spring forth from his lips within minutes of him clapping eyes on me.
this leopard won't change her spots
The fund is being provided by the Global Environment Fund (GEF) Trust Fund and implemented by the Snow Leopard Foundation in Karakoram-Pamir, Himalaya and Hindu Kush mountain ranges in Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speakers urge coordinated efforts to protect habitats of endangered species such as snow leopard
The common leopard Panthera pardus is one of the five 'big cats" belonging to genus Panthera, family Felidae.
Short Communication - Occurrence of Common Leopard (Panthera pardus) in Abbaspur Area, District Poonch, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Parliamentary Secretary also thanked Government of Kyrgyzstan for the provision of secretariat for Snow leopard protection and hosting GSLEP meetings several times.
Leopard population can promise healthy ecosystem: Minister
They also expressed that although the conservation status of the snow leopard has been changed from endangered to vulnerable, the animal population still faces multiple threats including poaching and habitat degradation.
WWF urges the protection of a declining snow leopard population in Pakistan
High in the Himalayas live one of the world's most beautiful and enigmatic cats - the snow leopard.
Efforts stepped up to protect 'ghosts of the mountains'
Mazandaran is one of the main habitats of the Persian leopard in Iran, home to around 100 leopards.
Police seeking leopard killers