tin god

(little) tin god

A pompous person. My attraction for him waned after he spent the entire evening acting like a little tin god. Everyone on the school board acts like a tin god. It's so irritating!
See also: god, tin
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

tin god

A self-important, dictatorial, petty person who imposes ideas, beliefs, and standards on subordinates. For example, The officials in these small towns often act like tin gods. The tin in this expression alludes to the fact that tin is a base metal with relatively little value. [Late 1800s]
See also: god, tin
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • little tin god
  • (little) tin god
  • a tin god
  • tin cow
  • tin dog
  • roof
  • little
  • put the tin hat on (something)
  • put the tin lid on (something)
  • put the tin lid on something
References in periodicals archive
"On shedding off baggage from the past, President Moi was off into a new project ndash breathing life into the moribund but only political party in the country, Kanu, which he converted into a personal utility vehicle for terror.He did so by creating tin gods in the name of district Kanu chairmen who he gave power of political life and death.
When power of the pen spoiled the day for Daniel Moi
But then neither does anything justify the warped, inexplicable behaviour of those I can only call his disciples who seem to have turned him into their little tin god and whose illiterate, repellant messages are currently sullying the internet.
Stop turning these vile monsters into heroes
TIN GOD WE TRUST: Christopher will use old cans to build the kirk GARRY FMCHARG
CARRYOUT KIRK; Minister's bid to build church out of booze tins and rubbish
But I've never got on with his mum, especially the way she treats him - like a wee tin god. She also spoils the kids and ruins their teeth with treats.
Money worries are tearing us apart; JOAN'S SOLUTION
But I've never got on with his mum - she treats him like a wee tin god. She also spoils the kids and ruins their teeth with treats.
NEXT WEEK'S PROBLEM ..
But, it seems to me that you're still on the hunt for that geisha, the only difference is that you want one with a British accent who'll happily treat you like a little tin God.
I can't find woman to have my babies; JOAN'S SOLUTION
Elaine, manager of the George Inn, Bethersden, Kent, added: "Ledward was an arrogant man - blase, brash and strutting around like a little tin god."
RODNEY RIPPER; NHS bosses blasted for failing to stop butcher surgeon who maimed women
It's not that I think it's right for any woman to treat her husband like a wee tin god, but you can't interfere.
Just Joan : Reader's letter
Time to stop behaving like a little tin god and act like a loving husband.
Just Joan; THE AGONY AUNT WITH ALL THE ANSWERS
One patient who suffered at his hands described him as "arrogant, brash and strutting around like a tin god".
NHS treated Dr Butcher like a god; Health chiefs let callous surgeon bungle 418 ops
Only the click of cameras, the sound of photographers' shoes as they shuffled, trying to capture a flicker of emotion from this little tin god and the occasional trill from a mobile phone broke it.
Not a word of contrition from this little tin god
For many years, the roadblocks have become sacrificial altars where the blood of innocent citizens have been spilled to propitiate the angry and vengeful tin gods of larceny.
How To Avoid Getting Killed By The Police
I am even more certain we are better out than these tin gods running our country.
Town and Brexit to win
Plenty, though, saw it as restrictive, divisive and an additional instrument of leadership patronage - putting "paper crowns on the heads of little tin Gods".
Too few women, too many... Corbyn critics should make up their minds!
Just because the EU says it shall be so, must we suckers believe the pompous words of the wholly unaccountable tin gods of Brussels and Strasbourg?
Wind of change; Views of the North