a defect or weakness in an apparently sound character; a variation of to have feet of clay, said of someone hitherto held in high regard or in an important position who shows disappointing weaknesses of character. The allusion is to a Bible passage in Daniel 2 describing an image seen in a dream: "This image's head was of finegold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay." —SHSBC Binder 32 Approved Glossary