polish a turd

polish a turd

slang To make something unpleasant seem more appealing than it really is—which is often a futile effort. "Turd" is a slang term for a piece of feces. Look, man, your term paper was bad before, and all of your edits are just making it worse—polishing a turd won't make it better.
See also: polish, turd
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • you can't polish a turd
  • patty
  • chedda
  • dook
  • dukes
  • poopie
  • poopied
  • blimp
  • blimp out
  • doodoo
References in periodicals archive
But it has been reported that as the deal was being thrashed out, Foreign Secretary Johnson said defending it would be like "trying to polish a turd".
MAY'S TURD AMENDMENT; PM faces big Tory backlash over stinker of a compromise
Our motto is: "You can't polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter" - but she'd also made me a little video, which left everyone in tears and ruined our lovely make-up.
Who needs an excuse to party? LIVING WITH CANCER
don't look a gift horse in the eye." It brings to mind that other truism: "You can't polish a turd."
LORD SUGAR'S HOPELESS CASES
And the mag claims you can't polish a turd, but this is one turd that's been polished to a shine.
Lowcard, #11
"We have Celtic, Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hamilton, Alloa and Stenhousmuir in charge but what have Stenhousmuir ever done in our game?" Carol Baker, Forth Valley, said: "As they say you can't polish a turd. We have no money and when the new season starts we will still be watching everything apart from Scottish football because we are a laughing stock."
Hotline
You lived long enough in the North West to learn a piece of our philosophy that could have been made for you: you can't polish a turd.
Brian Reade Column: Victoria Beckham