Meanings
- UKderogatoryidiomaticnot comparableHaving a superficially positive appearance that is belied by the reality, e.g., superficially elegant and beautiful but actually common.
"What about the wife?" "Bridget. She was all fur coat and no knickers. A real social climber." "But you liked her?" "Yes."
2005, Michael Robotham, Suspect2 more examples
A nurse spoke for a number of her colleagues when she said that she felt that these developments were a waste of time and 'all fur coat and no knickers' (personal interview, 1994).
1999, David Brock, Michael J. Powell, Christopher Robin Hinings, Restructuring the professional organization: Accounting, Health Care and LawFrom this viewpoint some forms of Post-Modernism mean new façades for old concepts, dressing the skyscraper, or the vast supermarket in the garb of the tart - 'all fur coat and no knickers'.
2003, Cliff Moughtin, Urban Design: Street and SquareSynonyms: all fur and no knickers
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveHaving a superficially positive appearance that is belied by the reality, e.g., superficially elegant and beautiful but actually common.
Cite this entry
all fur coat and no knickers. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/all%20fur%20coat%20and%20no%20knickers
“all fur coat and no knickers.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/all%20fur%20coat%20and%20no%20knickers. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “all fur coat and no knickers,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/all%20fur%20coat%20and%20no%20knickers.
Source: all fur coat and no knickers on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.