paper tiger
noun
a person, group, nation, or thing that has the appearance of strength or power but is actually weak or ineffectual.
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Origin of paper tiger
First recorded in 1945–50
Words nearby paper tiger
paper profit, paper-pusher, paper-shelled, paper tape, paper-thin, paper tiger, paper trail, paper-train, paper wasp, paperweight, paper-white narcissus
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for paper tiger
paper tiger
noun
a nation, institution, etc, that appears powerful but is in fact weak or insignificant
Word Origin for paper tiger
C20: translation of a Chinese phrase first applied to the US
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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