britches

get too big for (one's) britches

To become overconfident in one's importance, skill, or authority; to start speaking or behaving as if one is more important or influential than one actually is. He's gotten too big for his britches ever since he got that promotion. Honestly, John got too big for his britches as soon as pro teams started scouting him. I know you won the election, but don't get too big for your britches—you're only a student council rep!

See also: big, britches, for, get

too big for (one's) breeches

Overconfident in one's importance, skill, or authority; behaving as if one is more important or influential than one actually is. He's gotten too big for his breeches ever since he got that promotion. John's been too big for his breeches now that he's been scouted by pro teams.

See also: big, breech, for

too big for (one's) britches

Overconfident in one's importance, skill, or authority; behaving as if one is more important or influential than one actually is. He's gotten too big for his britches ever since he got that promotion. John's been too big for his britches now that he's been scouted by pro teams.

See also: big, britches, for

too big for (one's) own britches

Overconfident in one's importance, skill, or authority; behaving as if one is more important or influential than one actually is. She's gotten too big for her own britches ever since she got that promotion. John's been acting too big for his own britches now that he's been scouted by pro teams.

See also: big, britches, for, own

wear the britches

To be in charge in or control of a relationship or family. The phrase is typically applied to a woman, contrasting the fact that pants were historically only worn by men, who were traditionally the decision makers. Often followed by "in the family" or "in the house." I think it's pretty obvious who wears the britches in that family—Grandma Helene. Actually, in our relationship, we both wear the britches—we make decisions together.

See also: britches, wear

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

too big for one's britches

Rur. too haughty for one's status or age. Bill's getting a little too big for his britches, and somebody's going to straighten him out. You're too big for your britches, young man! You had better be more respectful.

See also: big, britches, for

wear the britches (in the family)

 and wear the pants (in the family)

Rur. to be in charge in the family. Jane bosses her husband around something scandalous. It's clear that she wears the britches in the family. I don't intend to let my wife wear the pants in the family. Mary's a strong-minded woman, but her husband still wears the britches.

See also: britches, wear

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

too big for one's britches

Also, too big for one's boots. Conceited, self-important, as in Ever since he won that tournament he's gotten too big for his britches, or There's no talking to Jill anymore-she's just too big for her boots. This metaphoric idiom alludes to becoming so "swollen" with conceit that one's pants or boots no longer fit. [Late 1800s]

See also: big, britches, for

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

too big for your boots

BRITISH, INFORMAL or

too big for your britches

mainly AUSTRALIAN, INFORMAL

If someone is too big for their boots, they behave as if they are more important or clever than they really are. Note: In the second expression, `britches' is also spelled `breeches'. I was often accused of being too big for my boots. If you ask me, he's too big for his britches since he struck it rich. Note: You can also say that someone gets too big for their boots or gets too big for their britches. In Britain, people seem to have a thing about not letting someone get too big for their boots. Getting too big for their britches, kids these days. Think the whole universe should revolve round them. Note: Britches are trousers which reach as far as your knees.

See also: big, boot, for

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

too big for your boots

conceited. informal

See also: big, boot, for

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

too ˌbig for your ˈboots

(informal) thinking that you are more important than you really are: His political rivals had decided that he was getting too big for his boots.

See also: big, boot, for

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

too big for (one's) britches

Overconfident; cocky.

See also: big, britches, for

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

too big for one's britches (breeches)

Conceited, self-important. This expression, alluding to becoming so swelled with self-importance as to burst out of one’s clothes, sounds ancient but dates only from about 1900, as does the closely related too big for one’s boots. The latter appeared in Sir Henry Maxwell’s Life of W. H. Smith (1894): “Sometimes a young man, ‘too big for his boots,’ would sniff at being put in charge of a railway bookstall.” And H. G. Wells (Kipp, The Story of a Simple Soul, 1905) wrote, “He’s getting too big for ’is britches.”

See also: big, britches, for

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer