Meaning of "paper tiger"

[Gella]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #116 "Paper expressions", question 5

I shouldn't worry too much about him. He looks very frightening but underneath he's really a paper ..........

(a) tiger
(b) lion
(c) jaguar
(d) cat

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #116 "Paper expressions", answer 5

I shouldn't worry too much about him. He looks very frightening but underneath he's really a paper tiger.

Correct answer: (a) tiger

Your answer was: correct
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what is a paper tiger?

Gella

[Alan]

Hi Gella,

A paper tiger is a description of someone who likes to think they are very frightening but really they are no different from anybody else - they do not frighten anybody.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Head expressions for you