all mouth and trousers
Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He talks big about his plans, but he is all mouth and trousers.”
“Don't expect him to help with the project; he is all mouth and trousers when it comes to hard work.”
“Despite his grandiose promises of reform, the politician proved to be all mouth and trousers, failing to deliver any meaningful change.”
From *mouth*, denoting speech in place of action, and *trousers*, a reference to contemporary masculine dress or the genitals. The idiom suggests a discrepancy between verbal bravado and physical or anatomical substance.
- 01
all mouth and no trousers
Alternative form of all mouth and trousers.
- 02
all one's taste is in one's mouth
One lacks good taste in aesthetic or cultural matters.
- 03
bad taste in one's mouth
A feeling that something is morally despicable as to cause nausea.
- 04
big mouth
The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.
- 05
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth
Born rich, or into a wealthy family.
- 06
butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth
The identified person appears to be benign, mild-mannered, or calm (but with an integral suggestion that, to the contrary, they really are untrustworthy, disagreeable, or mean-spirited).
- 07
down in the mouth
Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.
- 08
hold one's mouth right
To act in the correct way, and have a little luck.
Last updated August 10, 2026