windbag

[wind-bag]

See more synonyms for windbag on Thesaurus.com

noun

Informal. an empty, voluble, pretentious talker.
the bag of a bagpipe.

Origin of windbag

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at wind¹, bag

Related formswind·bag·ger·y, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for windbag

Contemporary Examples

He can still come off like a windbag with a know-it-all air.
The Resurrection of Newt Gingrich
Howard Kurtz
October 18, 2011

Historical Examples

Happily less, far less, than usual of the windbag about Sexton.
Punch, or, the London Charivari, Volume 98, March 8, 1890.
Various
Since when has the son of a chief learnt to talk with the loud tongue and windbag swagger of the Amabuna?
The Luck of Gerard Ridgeley
Bertram Mitford
With the inconceivably-maniacal Swiss quartette, who shout and caper, and produce hideous sounds from throat and windbag.
London's Heart
B. L. (Benjamin Leopold) Farjeon
In his letters during this period, everyone who differs from him is denounced as a charlatan and a windbag.
Schopenhauer
Margrieta Beer
No opportunity for Windbag to come into action; now is the time, as champion of privileges of House of Commons.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 100, April 25, 1891
Various

British Dictionary definitions for windbag

windbag

noun

slang a voluble person who has little of interest to communicate
the bag in a set of bagpipes, which provides a continuous flow of air to the pipes

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for windbag

n.

late 15c., "bellows for an organ," from wind (n.1) + bag (n.). Figurative sense of "person who talks too much" is attested from 1827.

windbag

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}windbag

Examples from the Web for windbag

Contemporary Examples

He can still come off like a windbag with a know-it-all air.

Historical Examples

Happily less, far less, than usual of the windbag about Sexton.

Since when has the son of a chief learnt to talk with the loud tongue and windbag swagger of the Amabuna?

With the inconceivably-maniacal Swiss quartette, who shout and caper, and produce hideous sounds from throat and windbag.

In his letters during this period, everyone who differs from him is denounced as a charlatan and a windbag.

No opportunity for Windbag to come into action; now is the time, as champion of privileges of House of Commons.

windbag

Word Origin and History for windbag

n.

Origin of windbag