nugget of truth

nugget of truth

A singular element of truth or wisdom within or among a greater story, narrative, speech, or claim, especially when most or all other elements are fictitious or of questionable veracity. I think the governor's speech is a bunch of hogwash by and large, but there is a nugget of truth in what he said about the need for lower taxes. Conspiracy theories survive because they are usually laced with little nuggets of truth that give them the air of credibility.
See also: nugget, of, truth
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • a kernel of truth
  • kernel
  • nugget
  • nugget of information
  • nugget of wisdom
  • street smart
  • boosiasm
  • boosiasms
  • krudzu
  • kudzu plot
References in periodicals archive
But, as usual, there is more than a nugget of truth smothered under Trump's helping of ad hominem sauce: The ferocity of today's politics does seem to have been good for the bottom lines of the news industry as a whole.
Trump and Acosta: When showboats collide
Assurances like this one are a nugget of truth to those who believe.
Family Matters / 'What a man thinks of himself, so is he'
Each generation chips away at the infinite block of human ignorance, struggling to uncover a nugget of truth to share with the world.
Exploration in the Middle East- the next step in a long tradition
Jesus spoke in parables to allow people to interpret and find the nugget of truth, or the kerygma, within his words.
Noah
The one nugget of truth that Loria did say was that the buck stopped with him (although, he tried to back out of that when the media cornered him saying that he didn't hit, pitch, and field).
Jeffrey Loria and Hoof in Mouth Disease
"It will be difficult to distinguish truth from propaganda, but experience shows there is often a nugget of truth in North Korea's claims," he said.
North Korea's N-test triggers new questions
The emphasis on intentions, however, does expose the thesis to that worrisome maxim according to which "art is anything that is intended to be art," a maxim in which Levinson finds a "large nugget of truth." What remains unsettled is how the thesis accommodates the various degrees of adequacy joining intention and cognition.
Levinson, Jerrold. Music, Art, and Metaphysics
RichardP saw some nugget of truth in the figures: "I use a mobility scooter and there are so many pavements that don't have a 'drop' to enable you to cross the road.
www.examiner.co.uk Cash culture; On the web So what do YOU think? Join the debate on our Forums at ..
Despite the hyperbole there is a nugget of truth as regards the performance of this symphony - the final movement must be manic.
Classical
For once there was a nugget of truth in his comments, because he correctly mentioned the importance of 1948 in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Netanyahu distorts the refugee problem
But it turned out there was a nugget of truth to the gossip.
Application denied
Assume there's some nugget of truth to his complaint.
Don't get defensive: five things to do when your neighbor complains about your dog
We laugh because in the silliness there is a small nugget of truth we can relate to.
Tea bag tag lines strike a chord
NUGGET OF TRUTH Prawns are very low in fat, only have 106 calories per 100g and are high in protein, which creates energy.
Your LIFE: FROM fad TO fab; SLIMMING CELEBRITY DIETS MADE HEALTHY
Yet beneath the scribbling of a New Zealand hack who can't have ventured outside the city centre, there is a nugget of truth.
Editorial Comment Life's not All Black in Cardiff