he is not so black as he is painted
1not as black as he is painted — not as black as he/she/it is ˈpainted idiom not as bad as people say he/she/it is • He s not very friendly, but he s not as black as he s painted. Main entry: ↑blackidiom …
2not as black as she is painted — not as black as he/she/it is ˈpainted idiom not as bad as people say he/she/it is • He s not very friendly, but he s not as black as he s painted. Main entry: ↑blackidiom …
3not as black as it is painted — not as black as he/she/it is ˈpainted idiom not as bad as people say he/she/it is • He s not very friendly, but he s not as black as he s painted. Main entry: ↑blackidiom …
4the devil is not so black as he is painted — Cf. late 15th cent. Fr. toutesfois n’est il pas sy deable qu’il est noir, a man is not always as devilish as he is black. 1534 MORE Dialogue of Comfort (1553) III. xxii. Some saye in sporte, and thinke in earnest: The devill is not so blacke as… …
5not as black as one is painted — informal not as bad as one is said to be …
6not be as black as are is painted — (not) be as black as (you) are/it is painted if people or situations are not as black as they are painted, they are not as bad as people say they are. I ve met him a few times. He s not as black as he s painted …
7not be as black as it is painted — (not) be as black as (you) are/it is painted if people or situations are not as black as they are painted, they are not as bad as people say they are. I ve met him a few times. He s not as black as he s painted …
8the devil is not so black as he is painted — Satan is not as bad as he is made out to be …
9be as black as are is painted — (not) be as black as (you) are/it is painted if people or situations are not as black as they are painted, they are not as bad as people say they are. I ve met him a few times. He s not as black as he s painted …
10be as black as it is painted — (not) be as black as (you) are/it is painted if people or situations are not as black as they are painted, they are not as bad as people say they are. I ve met him a few times. He s not as black as he s painted …
