cowardly lion
Fearsome yet fearful
A cowardly lion is someone who acts fierce or intimidating but is actually timid or fearful—all roar, no bite.
The phrase comes from the character in *The Wizard of Oz* who discovers he had courage all along: He talks tough in meetings but he's a cowardly lion when it comes to confronting the boss.
- cravenContemptibly lacking nerve
- scaredy catOverly timorous person
- scarecrowDecoy to frighten birds
- fearfulFull of fright
- maneNeck hair, horse/lion
tin man · king of the forest · poppy fields · Wizard of Oz · Judy Garland · timid · hesitant · shy · Dorothy · talking animals · anthropomorphism · bravery · Emerald City · afraid · frightened · courage · apprehensive · ruby slippers
- stock charactersvillain, sidekick, hero, damsel in distress, fool
- lion storiesSimba, Androcles, king of beasts
- animal fablesfable, fables, beast fables, beast fable, animal fable
- big catsleopard, cub, cougar, jaguar, puma
cowardly lionbrave lion
Courageous large feline
lion-hearted · Richard the Lionheart · Aslan · Mufasa · Simba
cowardly lionman-eater
Beast that hunts humans
apex predator · savage beast · killer instinct · alpha predator