That loud manager is just a paper tiger.
paper tiger
idiomSomething or someone that appears powerful, strong or threatening but is in reality weak, ineffective, or unable to withstand challenge.
Origin
first recorded 19th c.A calque from Chinese 紙老虎／纸老虎 (zhǐlǎohǔ), a phrase popularized by Mao Zedong, but of pre-modern origin. An English translation first appeared in an book in 1828 by British missionary and lexicographer Robert Morrison.
The company threatened to sue us, but they turned out to be a paper tiger with no real legal case.
While the dictator’s rhetoric initially terrified the neighboring nations, his military proved to be a paper tiger when the conflict finally began.
- 01
death by a thousand paper cuts
An ultimate negative outcome, such as the failure of a project, brought about by an excessive number of bureaucratic hurdles.
- 02
have a tiger by the tail
To be in a difficult or dangerous situation in which one ideally should not remain, but from which one cannot withdraw.
- 03
have the tiger by the tail
To be in a difficult or dangerous situation in which one ideally should not remain, but from which one cannot withdraw.
- 04
lady or tiger
A pure gamble with highly divergent outcomes.
- 05
paper trail
A written record, history, or collection of evidence.
- 06
put pen to paper
To write something (especially using pen and ink).
- 07
ride the tiger
To maintain control over something aggressive and dangerous.
- 08
start with a clean sheet of paper
Synonym of start with a clean sheet.