I've given up trying to get my cousin to appreciate classical music. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear — you cannot improve the quality of junk; cannot make gold from iron When Hal put a Mercedes star on his Ford, I said, You can t make a silk purse out of a sow s ear … English idioms
you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear — 1518 A. BARCLAY Eclogues (EETS) v. 360 None can..make goodly silke of a gotes flece. 1579 S. GOSSON Ephemerides of Phialo 62v Seekinge..too make a silke purse of a Sowes eare, that when it shoulde close, will not come togeather. 1672 W. WALKER… … Proverbs new dictionary
You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. — old fashioned something that you say which means you cannot make a good quality product using bad quality materials. To make chairs that ll last you need good strong pieces of wood. You can t make a silk purse out of a sow s ear … New idioms dictionary
make — see make hay while the sun shines as you make your bed, so you must lie upon it you cannot make bricks without straw clothes make the man make haste slowly if you don’t make mistakes you don’t make anything … Proverbs new dictionary
Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Thematic Index — absence absence makes the heart grow fonder he who is absent is always in the wrong the best of friends must part blue are the hills that are far away distance lends enchantment to the view out of sight, out of mind … Proverbs new dictionary
