What does ‘don't judge a book by its cover’ mean?
To “don't judge a book by its cover” means to don't judge by appearances. A 20th-century English proverb, not in Brewer's 1898.
Origin
- A 20th-century English proverb, not in Brewer's 1898.
How to use it
- Standard caution against snap judgments.
- Example: He seems quiet, but don't judge a book by its cover.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.