The greatest barkers are not always the sorest biters.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

The loudest threats do not always signal the greatest ability or intention to cause harm. Noise alone is an unreliable measure of strength.

What the words are saying

The contrast is between barking, which can be heard, and biting, which causes an injury. The proverb points out that a person may make a dramatic threat without carrying it out, while a less noisy person may have more effect. Not always matters: the wording leaves room for a loud threat to be real. The useful response is to assess the evidence and circumstances instead of ranking danger by volume. In ordinary disputes it may help resist intimidation, but it should not be treated as permission to ignore a specific threat or approach an aggressive animal.

Everyday example

A committee checks a member’s actual authority before changing its whole plan in response to his repeated claim that he can cancel the event.

When to use it

Use it when bluster is being treated as conclusive evidence of power.

Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.