IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishall brawn and no brain
Meaning: Physically strong but not clever.
Example: “He carried the whole sofa alone and up the wrong stairs: all brawn and no brain.”
Origin: "Brawn" is muscle, from an Old French word for a cut of meat. The rhyming pairing with "brain" is common in English from the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Russian: сила есть — ума не надо (sila yest — uma ne nado) Literally: Strength exists — mind is not needed
More English idioms
- hide one's light under a bushel To keep one's talents hidden.
- two men and a dog A very small crowd.
- has the cat got your tongue? Said to someone who stays silent when they should speak.
- a load of nonsense Something completely untrue or silly.
- all or nothing With no middle way; everything is risked on one outcome.
- an accident waiting to happen Someone or something very likely to cause trouble or harm.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Eline sağlık Praise and thanks to someone — especially a cook — for something made beautifully by hand.
- És uma joia You're a gem — a precious, lovely person.
- Sei un salame You're a clumsy, dopey softie — said with a smile.
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