all mouth and trousers

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From mouth, meaning "talk" rather than action, and trousers, presumably at the time of origin, a reference to masculinity, either as trousers as a male item of clothing, or a reference to the genitals.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (General Australian):(file)

Adjective

all mouth and trousers (not comparable)

  1. (British, idiomatic) Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
    Synonyms: (vulgar) all fart and no shit, all fart and no poo

Translations

See also

References