knickers

all fur coat and no knickers

Good-looking on the surface but lacking substance underneath. I thought David and I would really get along well, but we had nothing to talk about at dinner—he's really all fur coat and no knickers. Our new boss sounded like she had a lot of good ideas for the department, but it turns out she's all fur coat and no knickers.
See also: all, and, coat, fur, knickers, no

be all fur coat and no knickers

To be attractive on the surface but lack substance underneath. I thought David and I would really get along well, but we had nothing to talk about at dinner—he's all fur coat and no knickers. Our new boss sounded like she had a lot of good ideas for the department, but it turns out she's all fur coat and no knickers.
See also: all, and, coat, fur, knickers, no

get (one's) knickers in a knot

To become overly upset or emotional over something, especially that which is trivial or unimportant. Primarily heard in UK. Ah, don't get your knickers in a knot, I'll have the car back by tomorrow morning! In my opinion, people are getting their knickers in a knot over this election.
See also: get, knickers, knot

get (one's) knickers in a twist

To become overly upset or emotional over something, especially that which is trivial or unimportant. Ah, don't get your knickers in a twist, I'll have the car back by tomorrow morning! In my opinion, people are getting their knickers in a twist over this election.
See also: get, knickers, twist

have (one's) knickers in a twist

To be overly upset or emotional over something, especially that which is trivial or unimportant. I hope you don't have your knickers in a twist—I swear I'll have the car back by tomorrow morning! In my opinion, people have their knickers in a twist over this election.
See also: have, knickers, twist
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

get your knickers in a twist

BRITISH, INFORMAL
If someone gets their knickers in a twist, they become very upset or worried about something. He'll get a nasty shock, but he's not the first one, and he won't be the last, so why get our knickers in a twist? Let's not get our knickers in a twist until we see the outcome of those games. Note: You can also say that someone has their knickers in a twist. So why do these MPs have their knickers in a twist? Note: This expression is often used to show that you think that someone is more upset than is reasonable.
See also: get, knickers, twist
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

be all fur coat and no knickers

have an impressive or sophisticated appearance which belies the fact that there is nothing to substantiate it. British informal
See also: all, and, coat, fur, knickers, no

get your knickers in a twist

become upset or angry. British informal
This expression was originally used specifically of women, the humorous masculine equivalent being get your Y-fronts in a twist .
1998 Times I'm not as anxious as I was…Most things these days, I'm really not going to get my knickers in a twist about.
See also: get, knickers, twist
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

get/have your ˈknickers in a twist

(British English) (American English get/have your ˈpanties in a knot) (informal) react too strongly to a difficult situation by getting angry, upset, confused, etc: The boss is getting his knickers in a twist about these sales figures. Don’t get your panties in a knot about it! It’s no big deal.
See also: get, have, knickers, twist
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • all fur coat and no knickers
  • fur
  • be all fur coat and no knickers
  • be all that
  • all that
  • peer underneath (something)
  • all vine and no taters
  • all show and no go
  • in the hole for (something)
  • live under
References in periodicals archive
I Knew the answer would be 'no' but what STRUCK me was that the young sales assistant obviously was not familiar with the name French KnicKers. I thought most women in their 20s and 30s probably wouldn't Know either.
Knickers in a twist; MAILBAG
"It would be an absurd thing to try to have to police something like this, to find out whether a bride is wearing knickers or not," he added.
Councillor proposes law prohibiting brides to marry without panties
Later she saw her four-year-old child next to a pair of black cotton knickers, which she put in a bin.
Court told of attack; Man denies rape of pregnant teen
"Straight after the gig at the Embassy Theatre when we were again hit by flying knickers our website received an email from Natasha and Melissa complimenting us on our performance.
Thankyou for the undies; THE LIST PREVIEW
Judge McEvoy today certified that the tests carried out on the knickers and the fact that a juror had drawn a sketch of him during the trial were grounds for appeal.
Knickers test frees rapist
But surely if he wanted to talk about knickers, his defining gimmick, it wouldmake more sense if he did it in the place where it all started?
If it's that bad, Tom, come home; TOMORROW: The day Joe Jordan broke our hearts
'Gym knickers are archaic and should be abolished.'
TIME TO GIVE GYM KNICKERS THE SLIP
The latter remarked: "Hard times, eh?", "Better, I suppose, than wearing a T-shirt made out of old knickers..." and "As long as you avoid the armpit bits of the former t-shirt, knock yourself out."
MY SKILLS IN GOOD KNICK! It's pant-astic to make your own underwear, says master seamstress We wear them every day. But how much attention do you pay to your pants? As a new knickermaking workshop launches in Warwickshire, environment reporter MARY GRIFFIN hears why homemade briefs are the latest craft craze
ALOTS of guys go for virginal white underwear or schoolgirl navy knickers. It doesn't mean they are into underage girls.
HEART 2 HEART
"People have come to the house and I'm just in my knickers. [But] I feel like it's more appropriate to have knickers on than being completely naked," People mag quoted her as saying.
Miranda Kerr 'most comfortable when in knickers'
They wore colourful knickers and their dog collars to visit the children who presented them with new sets of knickers to wear before they went on their way.
Vicars in colourful knickers raise pounds 900
Her son, John, 18, at first made the blaze worse by throwing water over the flames, but her quick-witted nephew, Darren Lines, saved the day by grabbing a pair of his aunt's knickers from a pile of washing and using them like a fire blanket.
Tackling pan fire was just pants
Jenny, pictured, from Meryl Gardens, Hartlepool, said: "My pounds 4.99 parachute knickers have come in handy for something.
Pan fire was just pants
Judge McEvoy yesterday certified the tests carried out on the knickers and the fact a juror had drawn a sketch of him during the trial were grounds for appeal.
Rapist bailed after jury's tests
The 19-year-old blonde risked breaking the strict Wimbledon dress code when she appeared on an outside court for her rain-delayed first-round match against Su-Wei Hsieh, of Taipei, wearing red knickers.
Lawn Tennis: Knicker knockers; WIMBLEDON 2007 DAY FOUR SW19 Diary