seamy side

1. The sordid, unattractive aspect of something: “Lying and stealing are part of the seamy side of life.”

Idioms and Phrases

The sordid or base aspect of something, as in This nightclub certainly shows you the seamy side of the community . This term refers to the wrong side of a garment, revealing the stitched seams. Shakespeare used it figuratively in Othello (4:2): “That turn'd your wit the seamy side without.”

Example Sentences

The seamy side of British democracy was appropriately symbolized.

From The Daily Beast

It is strange, but undoubtedly true, that the English nation has no "seamy side."

From Project Gutenberg

He'd go through 'Frisco, and out at the far end, without so much as guessing the place had a seamy side to it.

From Project Gutenberg

I read him with keen interest, only wishing that he saw the seamy side of things rather less habitually.

From Project Gutenberg

She is to write a series of articles dealing with the seamy side of Grey Town life and her methods of reforming the riff-raff.

From Project Gutenberg

This is, however, but taking the seamy side, and the humbler side.

From Project Gutenberg