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the emperor's new clothes

Used to express when many people believe something that is not true. Used also to express something as untrue. See also the expression "the Emperor has no clothes".

Based on Sufi wisdom, Hans Christian Andersen tells the tale in his "The Emperor's New Clothes", the story this expression derives from. In it. there existed an emperor who loved wearing fine clothes and spent all of his people's money on them. He had a different set for each hour and was, without doubt, the finest dressed man in the land.

One day, two swindlers claiming to be weavers entered the Emporer's city and proclaimed they were capable of making the finest, lightest, most magnificent cloth the world has ever seen. So extraordinary was this cloth, it was invisible to anyone who was incompetent or stupid.

Hearing of the weaver's amazing "talent", the foolish Emporer thought he could use such cloth to weed out undesirables in his city. He paid the swindlers an enormous sum & they set out to "create" the clothes; knowing they would only need go through the motions.

The Emperor sent several advisors to guage their progress and all the advisors reported the cloth magnificent, not wanting to appear unworthy for seeing nothing at all; the cloth didn't exist!

Finally the clothes were "finished", the swindlers already having counted the gold and jewels they had received. A procession was arranged to show off the Emporer's new clothes and the entire city gathered in the center to view them. Having been "dressed" by the swinglers, who remarked how wonderful he looked, and how light the cloth appeared on him, he appeared before his people.

The people, having heard of the weaver's abilities and the cloth's fictious properties, were amazed and offered thunderous applause to the now beaming Emperor. None of them were willing to admit that they hadn't seen a thing; for if anyone did, then he was either stupid or unfit for the job he held. Never before had the emperor's clothes been such a success.

While expressing admiration at their Emporer's new "invisible" clothes, a small boy cried out... "But the Emperor has no clothes!"
"This entire adventure in Iraq has been based on propaganda and manipulation. Eighty-seven billion dollars is too much to pay for the continuation of a war based on falsehoods. The Emperor has no clothes."
- U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd in a Senate Hearing speech October, 2003.
Words you can keep

wear emperor's new clothes 

to wear no clothes; to be naked.
The babies always wear emperor's new clothes.

The emperor's new clothes

It wasn't called the emperor's new clothes for nothing. If anybody cared about Luke's bummy ass old clothes, people would read about them, but they want to know about the emperor's new clothes.
Girl 1-Did you see the emperor's new clothes yesterday? Bahahahaha
Girl 2-I know he looked so silly.
More from Urban Dictionary

Brought-upsy 

scruples; to have manners;

May also be spelt Brought-upsie

WestIndian/Caribbean in orient - Barbados, WHUT.
Example 1: Child, you ain't got no brought-upsy?

Translation: My Child, have you not any manners?



Example 2: What, you ain't got no brought-upsy?

Translation: I can't believe you're doing that. Were you not taught any manners as a child?
Brought-upsy by B-Town Gilly April 20, 2005
Word of the Day on September 12, 2026
The practice of modifying a model (not limited to toy action figures) to achieve some result other than that intended by the manufacturer. ...
I had to kitbash my Luke Skywalker figure with my Darth Vader figure because Luke was missing a hand.
kitbash by geru January 15, 2006
Word of the Day on September 11, 2026

Satellite baddies

Attractive women who are far from your location.
There are no hot girls in the area, theres only satellite baddies.
Satellite baddies by Banksy123 September 5, 2026
Word of the Day on September 10, 2026
-Ramifications

-shorthand for the ramifications of actions
Omg, the ramifications!”
-“You forgot about the rammys, bro.”
Rammys by Brandonmical August 4, 2023
Word of the Day on September 9, 2026

Failure Shower 

When you fail at something in life (eg. failing an exam or not getting a job), go home and spend an hour just standing in the shower, propping yourself up against the wall with your eyes on your feet.
Caleb knew the only thing to do after he didnt get prefect was take a failure shower.
Failure Shower by Vikingnz October 27, 2009
Word of the Day on September 8, 2026
Acronym for Non-Athletic Regular Person. Your schools lacrosse team probably shouts it at you while you walk by.
Lookie at these bunch of narps, NARP NARP NARP
NARP by Douchebag McKenzy March 31, 2010
Word of the Day on September 7, 2026

High School Liquid 

A person who can freely travel between and fit in with all high school social groups and classes.
He is high school liquid, he ate lunch with the nerds and hung out with the jocks after school.
High School Liquid by Thaedris July 30, 2008
Word of the Day on September 6, 2026
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