be all hat and no cattle

be all hat and no cattle

To be 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. The senator's political rhetoric is all hat and no cattle anymore. 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.

be all hat and no cattle

tend to talk boastfully without acting on your words. US informal

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

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017