Don't judge a book by its cover

The English idiom "don't judge a book by its cover" is a metaphorical phrase which means "you shouldn't prejudge the worth or value of something, by its outward appearance alone".^[1]

Early reference

In George Elliot's "The Mill on the Floss" (1860), Mr Tulliver uses the phrase in discussing Daniel Defoe's "The History of the Devil", saying how it was beautifully bound.

See also

• All that glitters is not gold
• Face value
• Prima facie

References

• Hirsch, E. D., Joseph Francis Kett, and James Trefil. Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. 3rd ed. 2002. Print. *MLA Format*

External links

• "Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover" at GoEnglish.com (with illustration)