scratch A and you'll find B
scratch (something) and you'll find (something else)
If you investigate a certain type of person, organization, or thing closely, you will almost certainly find another, often contrary characterization or trait as well. There is a misbelief in popular culture that if you scratch a devout Catholic, you'll find a radical fundamentalist. My father always told me, "Scratch a successful business, and you'll find a hive of corruption."
See also: and, find, scratch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
scratch ˌA and you’ll find ˈB
(used to speak about particular types of people in general) carefully consider or examine somebody/something and you will find that they are different from their outside appearance: Scratch a senator from Texas and you’ll find a cowboy.See also: and, find, scratch
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- scratch (something) and you'll find (something else)
- scratch and find
- if anything
- contrary to
- contrary to (something)
- label
- label (someone, something, or oneself) as (something)
- label as
- rate as
- rate as (something)