britches
Americannoun
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of britches
First recorded in 1880–85
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On social media—particularly the “Walterboro Word Of Mouth” Facebook page—Hill haters began to emerge, asking whether she had grown too big for her britches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 24, 2026
FTX was run by a young, irresponsible founder who got too big for his britches and drove the thing into the ground.
From Slate ● Oct. 3, 2023
The Bengals spent less than one year in their underdog Underoos before becoming too big for their britches.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 28, 2023
Yes, it triggers my happy Thanksgiving memories of being at my grandparents house with my cousins and aunts and uncles, riding horses and standing by the fire until my britches got hot to the touch.
From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2022
“If Ah’m in yo’ way—” “Will you lissen at dis woman? Me ’bout tuh bust mah britches tryin’ tuh stay wid her and she heah—she oughta be shot wid tacks!”
From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
