all hat and no cattle

all hat and no cattle

Full of talk that is more impressive than that which one actually possesses or is able to do. Primarily heard in US. He talks as though he knows more than anyone else, but he's all hat and no cattle. Over the years, her political rhetoric has become all hat and no cattle. She criticizes more than ever, but gets less and less done each year! That disgraced CEO is all hat and no cattle if he's saying he still has authority over the company.

See also: all, and, cattle, hat, no

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

all hat and no cattle

AMERICAN, INFORMAL

If you describe someone as all hat and no cattle, you mean that they seem impressive or exciting but in reality they do not do much. On this issue, western leaders are all hat and no cattle. Note: This expression comes from the West of America, where cowboys (= people who look after cattle) wear large hats.

See also: all, and, cattle, hat, no

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012