Definition of "blowhard"

The merchants are the most ultra Secessionists, one of the secret springs of action among this class being the heavy indebtedness owing to Eastern creditors. Some men of Northern origin were the most rabid. A "blow-hard," named JAMES PATTERSON, of Augusta, Jackson County, was originally from Pennsylvania. He stumped the county and was elected to the Convention, and cast his vote for secession.

1861 October 20, “Interesting from Arkansas. Correspondence of the Missouri Democrat.”, in The New York Times‎, page 2

[T]he loud-mouthed blowhard seemed just the man to flinch when real danger confronted him; […]

1896, Robert Barr, “The Shadow of the Greenback”, in Revenge!, New York, N.Y., London: Frederick A. Stokes Company, page 182

Oh, this bellowing, blatant, bellicose, belligerent, bombastic blowhard […]

1941 November 17, “Political Notes: Republican Rift?”, in Time‎, archived from the original on 16 April 2016

In my profession, I have seen more than my share of blowhards who use volume to intimidate the weak, fool the feeble-minded, or control the insecure or lazy who would just as soon have someone do their thinking for them anyway.

1999, Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, Wendy Mazzarella, “Learning to Ask the Right Questions—and Listen to the Answers”, in Reading People: How to Understand People and Predict Their Behavior—Anytime, Anyplace, London: Vermilion, Ebury Press, page 109

David Davis, Liam Fox, Boris Johnson and the other Brexit blowhards know they have no chance of achieving their stated aims, such as a £350m weekly NHS payback.

2017 March 27, “The Observer view on triggering article 50: As Britain hurtles towards the precipice, truth and democracy are in short supply”, in The Observer‎, London, archived from the original on 30 August 2017