all bark and no bite

English

Alternative forms

all bark but no bite

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Adjective

all bark and no bite (not comparable)

(idiomatic) Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.
(idiomatic) Often making cutting remarks, but having a gentle personality underneath.
(idiomatic) Aggressive but never combative.

Translations

full of big talk

Chinese:
Mandarin: 光打雷，不下雨。, 光说不做 (zh)
Finnish: paljon porua, vähän villoja
French: grande gueule (fr)
Greek: όλο λόγια (ólo lógia)
Italian: tutto fumo e niente arrosto

Khmer: ឆ្កែព្រុសមិនដែលខាំ (chkaepruhmɨndaelkham)
Polish: krowa, która dużo ryczy, mało mleka daje (pl) (a cow that moos much, gives little milk)
Russian: please add this translation if you can
Spanish: mucho ruido y pocas nueces
Swedish: stor i orden men liten på jorden

making cutting remarks, but having a gentle personality underneath

Chinese:
Mandarin: ^{(please verify)} 光说不做
Finnish: kova päältä, pehmeä sisältä
Greek: σκυλί που γαβγίζει δεν δαγκώνει (skylí pou gavgízei den dagkónei), σκύλος που γαβγίζει δεν δαγκώνει (skýlos pou gavgízei den dagkónei)

Italian: cane che abbaia non morde
Khmer: បានតែព្រុស (baantaepruh)
Russian: please add this translation if you can
Spanish: perro ladrador, poco mordedor

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