🗓️ Idiom: A Diamond in the Rough (n)
💬 Meaning
- Someone or something with great potential, but not fully developed or polished yet.
- It means a person, idea, or product that could be excellent with a bit of improvement.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The prototype wasn’t perfect, but it was a diamond in the rough.
- He’s a diamond in the rough. He just needs a little training to shine.
- This new platform is a diamond in the rough. With more support, it could lead the market.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom compares a rough, uncut diamond to something valuable that isn’t fully refined yet. It has been used since the 1600s and is now common in business and innovation to describe early talent or ideas with potential.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The new intern doesn’t have much experience, but she’s clearly __________.
Answer
a diamond in the rough
2. Choose the correct meaning of “a diamond in the rough”:
A) A complete failure
B) Something valuable but undeveloped
C) A common mistake
D) A finished product
Answer
B) Something valuable but undeveloped
3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:
“This idea is still rough, but it has strong potential.” → Change the sentence using: a diamond in the rough
Answer
This idea is a diamond in the rough.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
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