Paper-tiger
noun
1.
a person, group, nation, or thing that has the appearance of strength or power but is actually weak or ineffectual.
noun
1.
a nation, institution, etc, that appears powerful but is in fact weak or insignificant
noun phrase
A menacing person or thing that in fact lacks force; a blusterer: doing battle with a paper tiger when he aims his wrath at the white liberal
[1952+; fr the Chinese expression tsuh lao fu, ”paper tiger,” given currency by Mao Zedong]
Read Also:
- Paper-trail
noun 1. a written or printed record, as of transactions or judicial opinions, especially when used to incriminate someone. noun phrase Records, documents, etc, that lead to a conclusion: Officials had expected to find a damning paper trail of incriminating evidence (mid-1980s+)
- Paper-train
[pey-per-treyn] /ˈpeɪ pərˌtreɪn/ verb (used with object) 1. to train (a pet) to defecate or urinate on sheets of disposable paper.
- Paper-wasp
noun 1. any of several social wasps, as the yellow jacket or hornet, that construct a nest of a paperlike substance consisting of chewed plant material.
- Paperweight
[pey-per-weyt] /ˈpeɪ pərˌweɪt/ noun 1. a small, heavy object of glass, metal, etc., placed on to keep them from scattering. /ˈpeɪpəˌweɪt/ noun 1. a small heavy object placed on loose papers to prevent them from scattering
- Paper-weight
[pey-per-weyt] /ˈpeɪ pərˌweɪt/ noun 1. a small, heavy object of glass, metal, etc., placed on to keep them from scattering. /ˈpeɪpəˌweɪt/ noun 1. a small heavy object placed on loose papers to prevent them from scattering n. “heavy object used to hold down papers,” 1858, from paper (n.) + weight (n.).