family jewels
Americanplural noun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This is like selling the family jewels — like giving them away, really,” said John McCourt, the president of the International James Joyce Foundation, who led the campaign to preserve the house.
From New York Times ● May 11, 2021
A holster that leaves the gun pointing directly at the family jewels, what could possibly go wrong?
From The Guardian ● Apr. 14, 2016
Most people aren’t touring the house in hopes of walking off with your family jewels, but I certainly wouldn’t want to leave any enticements.
From Forbes ● Dec. 13, 2014
If this had been presented in a respectful, low-key way among the four of you, you surely still would have objected, but you would not have felt they were trying to snatch the family jewels.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2011
I’ve seen the plate, the family jewels, the old servants, and pictures of the country place, with its park, great house, lovely grounds, and fine horses.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
