Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One that is seemingly dangerous and powerful but is in fact timid and weak.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun idiomatic A seemingly fierce person or thing without the ability to back up their words.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the nature of a person or organization that appears powerful but is actually powerless and ineffectual

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Translating Mandarin 纸老虎 (simplified) / 紙老虎 (traditional) / zhǐ lǎohǔ (pinyin)

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Examples

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Comments

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  • A seemingly fierce person or thing without the ability to back up their words. (Wiktionary)

    June 10, 2008

  • The best kind to encounter in the jungle, though prone to burn bright.

    June 29, 2008

  • A paper tiger under a paper moon

    April 5, 2009