ring of truth

plural uncommon rings of truth

1. idiomaticThe impression of being truthful; especially of a statement or literary work; verisimilitude.

   At first I wasn't even sure I could believe the story, but I later felt it had a ring of truth to it.

   5 more examples

   I am too well accustomed to the taking of evidence not to detect the ring of truth.

   1874, Edward Payson Roe, chapter 20, in Opening a Chestnut Burr

   She could hear the ring of truth in young Dawnish's voice.

   1908, Edith Wharton, The Pretext

   As the rest of the film was made on location in the railway yards of Havre and not in a studio, and was given a sound-track of penetrating vividness, this whole production gives the closest possible ring of truth of any film about railways.

   1958 February 28, David Gunston, “Railways on the Screen”, in Railway Magazine, page 89

   It is fiction. But it has the absolute ring of truth.

   2006 February 20, “Verbatim”, in Time

   Merchant Opold: This one promised compensation for services rendered. It humbly suggests that a sum of 250 credits would be most appropriate. Shepard: Would you have had any chance of getting this past customs without me? You can be a bit more generous. Merchant Opold: The other's words possess the discomforting ring of truth. Merchant Opold: This one could raise the sum to 500 credits. That is half this one's profit taken by the other. It can offer no more.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Noveria

   Synonyms: believability, credibility, ring of authenticity