More wind than substance

I love this phrase, and was wondering whether anyone else had similar ones... close would be

has a bark worse than his bite

Well, of course, we've referred to a lot that tempest in a tea cup or tea kettle or storm in either the cup or kettle...

And we've also referred to the storm and the fury signifying nothing...

And then, of course, my own moniker, Wordwind, which gets at the same idea...

Interesting topic, by the way, Alexis--I'll look forward to seeing what else blows this way.

Blow, blow, blow Isn't that a line from Tennessee Williams from Night of the Iguana?
WW

Gertrude (urging Polonius to get to the point): More matter, with less art.

Hamlet II ii

"A little less thinking, a little more feeling"

Marie, quoting Dot to George in "Children and Art", Sunday in the Park with George, Stephen Sondheim

A diarrhea of words but constipation of ideas.

Less said is best said.
oh that i could follow my own advice!

Less said is best said.
oh that i could follow my own advice!

Must........resist.......temptation! [ducking for cover-e]

An old friend of mine once said of a mutual acquaintance, "If bullshit was music, he'd be a brass band."

all mouth and no trousers

fur coat and no knickers

all piss and vinegar

the Duncster

I've always liked the Texan version:

"All hat and no cattle"

Elsewhere, Angel gave us an example from William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" Act one, Scene One. And from the site dr. bill linked us to elsewhere today:

periphrasis - wordily going round and round the subject:
Lyd. But quick! quick, sir!
Fag. True ma'am, as you say, one should be quick in divulging matters of this nature; for should we be tedious, perhaps while we are flourishing on the subject, two or three lives may be lost!
Lyd. . . . Then prithee, sir, be brief.
Fag. Why then, ma'am, as to murder, I cannot take upon me to say -- and as to slaughter, or man-slaughter, that will be as the jury finds it.
Lyd. But who, sir--who are engage in this?

[source not given, but googling indicates Act V of The Rivals by Richard Sheridan, the same play that brought us Mrs. Malaprop.]

Less said, soonest mended.