Dictionary

all talk and no action en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Meanings

1. (informal, uncountable) Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little; overpromising, but underdelivering.
   • Well, you need somebody, because politicians are all talk, no action. Nothing's gonna get done. They will not bring us—believe me—to the promised land. They will not. 2015 June 16, Donald Trump, “Transcript: Donald Trump announces his presidential candidacy”, in CBS News:
   • We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action—constantly complaining but never doing anything about it. 2017 January 20, Donald Trump, Inauguration Speech:

Forms

Deriveds

all lime and salt, no tequila · all talk, no show · all foam, no beer · all icing, no cake · all booster, no payload · all crown, no filling · all hammer, no nail · all bark and no bite · all talk · all mouth and trousers · all wax and no wick · all garnish and no meat · all sizzle and no steak · all shot, no powder · all talk and no cider · all mouth and no trousers · all sing, no dance · all hat and no cattle · all talk and trousers

Relateds

talk out of one's ass · talk the talk

Translations (21)

mi he kōrero i pahawa (idiom) · ca molt soroll i poques nous (idiom) · af meer bek as binnegoed (idiom) · zh 雷声大，雨点小 (idiom) · es mucho hablar y poco hacer (idiom) · fi paljon puhetta ilman tekoja (idiom) · sv Mycket snack och lite verkstad. (idiom) · zh 耍嘴皮子 (idiom) · es mucho lerele y poco larala (idiom) · es mucho ruido y pocas nueces (idiom) · zh 光說不幹 /光说不干 (idiom) · mi hōhonu waha - pāpaku uaua (idiom) · zh 光說不做 /光说不做 (idiom) · it tutto fumo e niente arrosto (idiom) · he דיבורים כמו חול ואין מה לאכול (idiom) · nl veel geschreeuw en weinig wol (idiom) · pl krowa, która dużo ryczy, mało mleka daje (idiom) · zh 只說不做 /只说不做 (idiom) · zh 雷聲大，雨點小 /雷声大，雨点小 (idiom) · it tanto fumo e poco arrosto (idiom) · id omong doang (idiom)