His Bark is Bigger than his Bite

Barking at Ping Pong Players

Yesterday I talked about trash talking and how much I love participating in it. As a follow up, people are now leaving straws on each other’s desks (see previous post). However, my bark is bigger than my bite. I am not great at backing up my words. Quite frankly, I am not that highly skilled.

I am thinking about ping pong in particular. I am already at the lower end of skill tree compared to my coworkers, but today we had even better competition. A new training program started up this week and some of those teachers joined us for ping pong. I got lucky and played with a very skilled trainee. You could see how much better he is than the rest of us right away. There used to be a TV show called Pros vs Joes that I liked. Retired professional athletes would destroy above average athletes at their physical peak. It is something that I have come to respect. I learned in cycling that I am just not made to be a professional cyclist. I am not willing to put in the time and effort that they have. Also, I lack that genetic component to put me over the top. Knowing the difference between an average (or retired) professional and a skilled amateur, I find it incredible that some athletes do so well against other professionals.

Meaning

If someone’s bark is worse than their bite, it means that they seem more dangerous than they really are. It comes from the dogs barking (the sound a dog makes). They look really scary, but sometimes it is only for show. When they are given the opportunity to attack, we find out that they really don’t want to bite. Their bark is scary, but they are not dangerous. A similar phrase is, “all bark and no bite.” It means that the person talks a lot but never backs up with words with action.

Example: Don’t be afraid of my dad. His bark is worse than his bite.

Origin

Knowyourphrase finds the earliest written record of the idiom in a Colonial Times newspaper article from 1829. However, multiple sources claim this phrase came into use in the 1600s.

There are many reasons why a dog might bark. They include territorial barking, alarm barking, attention-seeking, greeting, compulsive barking, or frustration. Dog will also start barking when they hear other dogs barking. An illness, injury or being separated from their family may also provoke barking. Not all barking will lead to a bite, but some forms may. It is said that a barking dog is afraid, but a growling dog is ready to attack. The ASPCA has some good advice on dealing with a barking dog.