tin god

American  

[tin god] / ˈtɪn ˈgɒd /

noun

1. a self-important, dictatorial person in a position of authority, such as an employer, military officer, critic, or teacher.

2. a person who believes they are infallible and tries to impose judgments, beliefs, standards of behavior, etc., on subordinates.

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tin god British  

noun

1. a self-important dictatorial person

2. a person erroneously regarded as holy or venerable

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tin god Idioms  

1. A self-important, dictatorial, petty person who imposes ideas, beliefs, and standards on subordinates. For example, The officials in these small towns often act like tin gods. The tin in this expression alludes to the fact that tin is a base metal with relatively little value. [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of tin god

First recorded in 1885–90