stick out like a sore thumb en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(qualifier:simile) To be very noticeably (and undesirably or humorously) different; to be prominently out of place; to be particularly obtrusive or conspicuous (usually unintentionally); to attract unwanted attention or notice.
The parsnip, stilton and chestnut combination may taste good, but it's not terribly decorative. In fact, dull's the word, a lingering adjectival ghost of nut roasts past that I'm keen to banish from the table. Mary Berry wraps her version in strips of chargrilled aubergine but, although it looks rather smart, I worry that something so Mediterranean will stick out like a sore thumb on the plate, given that many vegetarians want to enjoy the same roast potatoes, sprouts and sauces as everyone else. Instead, inspired by the stuffed cabbage rolls eaten at Christmas in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, I use blanched savoy cabbage leaves to wrap my parsnippy parcel, adding a touch of festive greenery to the dish.
2011 December 15, Felicity Cloake, “How to cook the perfect nut roast”, in The Guardian:Don't wear a business suit to that party; you'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| sticking out like a sore thumb | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| stuck out like a sore thumb | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| stuck out like a sore thumb | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| sticks out like a sore thumb | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Antonyms
belong · blend in · fit · fit in
Deriveds
Synonyms
Translations (14)
el ξεχωρίζω (to be very noticeably out of place) · pt diferenciar-se entre outros (to be very noticeably out of place) · is stinga í augun (to be very noticeably out of place) · es desentonar (to be very noticeably out of place) · de auffallen wie ein bunter Hund (to be very noticeably out of place) · is standa út (to be very noticeably out of place) · tr kötü bir şekilde göze çarpmak (to be very noticeably out of place) · it essere fin troppo evidente (to be very noticeably out of place) · fi pistää silmään (to be very noticeably out of place) · pl pasować jak pięść do nosa (to be very noticeably out of place) · it dare nell'occhio (to be very noticeably out of place) · fr détonner (to be very noticeably out of place) · zza vısto xo çıman ver (to be very noticeably out of place) · fr faire tache (to be very noticeably out of place)