sheep in wolf's clothing

English

Etymology

Humorous alteration of wolf in sheep's clothing.

Noun

sheep in wolf's clothing (plural sheep in wolves' clothing)

1. Someone or something that appears fierce or threatening but is actually harmless or means no harm.

   Synonym: paper tiger

   Antonym: wolf in sheep's clothing

   • 1910, Douglas English, A Book of Nimble Beasts: Bunny Rabbit, Squirrel, Toad, and “Those Sort of People”, London: Eveleigh Nash, page 221:

     The hunter-insects, as we have seen, disguise themselves so as to get near their victims unawares, and the hunted disguise themselves very often in the same way so as to avoid being seen, but sometimes in such a way that if they are seen they may appear to be much more terrible creatures than they really are. And so we have the sheep in wolves’ clothing.

See also

• one's bark is worse than one's bite
• gentle giant

Anagrams

• wolf in sheep's clothing