curate's egg
noun British.
something discreetly declared to be partly good but in fact thoroughly bad.
Origin of curate's egg
after a cartoon by G. du Maurier in the English humor weekly
Punch (Nov. 9, 1895): a meek curate, when served a bad egg at the bishop's table, replies that “parts of it are excellent”
Words nearby curate's egg
curariform,
curarine,
curarize,
curassow,
curate,
curate's egg,
curative,
curative dose,
curator,
curaçao,
curb
British Dictionary definitions for curate's egg
curate's egg
noun
something that has both good and bad parts
Word Origin for curate's egg
C20: derived from a cartoon in
Punch (November, 1895) in which a timid curate, who has been served a bad egg while breakfasting with his bishop, says that parts of the egg are excellent