| English Dictionary |
PAPER TIGER
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does paper tiger mean?
• PAPER TIGER (noun)
The noun PAPER TIGER has 1 sense:
1. the nature of a person or organization that appears powerful but is actually powerless and ineffectual
Familiarity information: PAPER TIGER used as a noun is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
The nature of a person or organization that appears powerful but is actually powerless and ineffectual
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Context example:
he reminded Mao that the paper tiger had nuclear teeth
Hypernyms ("paper tiger" is a kind of...):
impotence; impotency; powerlessness (the quality of lacking strength or power; being weak and feeble)
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