Idiom
all mouth and no trousers
Meanings
Talking big or acting tough without doing what you claim you will do.
Definition
Someone who talks confidently about what they will do but does not take action.
All mouth and no trousers describes a person who makes big claims, threats, or promises but fails to follow through. It suggests they sound impressive or tough, but their actions do not match their words. The idiom is informal and often critical or teasing. It is used mainly in British English.
Examples
- He keeps saying he’ll quit and start his own company, but he’s all mouth and no trousers.
- Don’t worry about his threats—he’s all mouth and no trousers.
- She talks like she runs the whole team, but she’s all mouth and no trousers.
- I thought he’d complain to the manager, but he was all mouth and no trousers.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes say "all mouth and no pants" or drop "and no trousers," but the standard British form is "all mouth and no trousers."
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More idiom (adjective phrase)s
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
- chuffed to bits Very pleased and proud about something.
- easy as pie Used to say that something is very easy to do or understand.
- right as rain Completely well again, or in perfect condition.
- thick as two short planks Extremely stupid or slow to understand.