man of straw

American  

noun

1. straw man.

---

man of straw British  

noun

1. a person of little substance

2. Also called: straw man.  a person used as a cover for some dubious plan or enterprise; front man

3. a man who cannot be relied upon to honour his financial commitments, esp because of his limited resources

---

Etymology

Origin of man of straw

First recorded in 1615–25

Example Sentences

I have been a man of straw long enough.

From Time Magazine Archive

You are knocking down a man of straw here .

From Time Magazine Archive

If this is a man of straw, he has a pretty good punch.

From Time Magazine Archive

Others may consider that Author Priestley has hit an easy mark and is jumping on a man of straw when he is down.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I am but a man of straw, Arthur,” he said.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White