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Phrases related to: big fish in a small pond Page #4

Yee yee! We've found 411 phrases and idioms matching big fish in a small pond.

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too big for one's bootsFar less capable than one's claims to be.Rate it:

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too big for one's britchesDisturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.Rate it:

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too big for one's britchesToo large to fit into one's pants.Rate it:

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what's the big ideaUsed to express surprise or dissatisfaction with an action or statement of another, especially the person spoken to.Rate it:

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what's the big ideaWhat is the purpose?Rate it:

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a little knowledge is a dangerous thingThe proverb 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing' expresses the idea that a small amount of knowledge can mislead people into thinking that they are more expert than they really are, which can lead to mistakes being made.Rate it:

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acknowledge the cornTo cop a plea; to admit to a small error but not a larger one.Rate it:

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banana republicA small country, especially one in Central America, that is dependent on a single export commodity (traditionally bananas) and that has a corrupt, dictatorial government.Rate it:

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BFDbig deal. (initialism for big fucking deal)Rate it:

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bits and bobsA random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things.Rate it:

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can't see the forest for the treesTo miss the major things while only seeing the minor details; to overlook the entire situation due to focusing on small aspectsRate it:

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creature comfortAny small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.Rate it:

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crowd togetherTo push into an excessively small space; to pack tightly.Rate it:

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dans les petites boîtes les bons onguentsSmall parcels hold fine wares. Rate it:

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do a falling leaf maneuverExecute a special maneuver in a small aircraft which mocks a natural phenomenon.Rate it:

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don't be penny wise and pound foolishDon't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.Rate it:

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fishtailThe tail of a fish, or an object resembling this.Rate it:

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hold somebody's handTo guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.Rate it:

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last strawA small addition to a burden which causes it to exceed the capacity.Rate it:

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Nantucket sleigh rideAn obsolete and dangerous method of whale hunting in which a small boat manned by rowers and a harpooner, or a series of small boats tied together, would be attached to a whale by means of a harpoon and would then be towed by the creature at high speed across the water's surface, until the whale eventually became exhausted.Rate it:

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ox is in the ditchThis is a big problem; there is unavoidable or demanding work ahead.Rate it:

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poachers gunA small bore shotgun hidden in a walking cane.Rate it:

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Santa's workshopA busy, productive large or small work environment, populated by dedicated workers.Rate it:

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Sling HashTo serve as a waiter or waitress in small cheap restaurant and serving inexpensive and inelegant foodRate it:

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take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselvesIf you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999, Rate it:

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tidy upTo make clean. In particular to make satisfactorily neat. Usually used to describe the straightening-out of a small room or small space.Rate it:

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where's the fireWhat's the big rush?Rate it:

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whistle-stopA small train station.Rate it:

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fly off the handlegetting angry for a small little thingRate it:

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kick in the ballsa big setback or disappointmentRate it:

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tall orderA big job; a difficult challenge.Rate it:

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a stitch in time saves nineA little effort expended sooner to fix a small problem prevents it from becoming a larger problem requiring more effort to fix later; A little preparation can eliminate the need for repairs later; consistency (achieving a set rhythm) is better than trying to rush ahead.Rate it:

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be in onTo be a party to a secret shared by a small group of people.Rate it:

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a bird in the hand is worth two in the bushIt is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.Rate it:

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a hair's breadthA very small distance or amountRate it:

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a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go downAn otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.Rate it:

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drink from a firehoseTo take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.Rate it:

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hair-splittinglyWith exceedingly small differences that are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.Rate it:

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il est de taille à se défendreHe is big enough to defend himself.Rate it:

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never fight a land war in AsiaDon't bite off more than you can chew; don't start a fight that is too big to win.Rate it:

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King Shit of Fuck MountainAn important person within a small domain.Rate it:

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all hat and no cattleFull of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.Rate it:

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bit partsmall acting roleRate it:

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five-finger discountTheft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.Rate it:

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hair-splittingThe act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.Rate it:

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Highway RobberyA big robbery, to charge heavily for somethingRate it:

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jump onTo attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.Rate it:

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no biggieNot a big deal, not something to worry about.Rate it:

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scrape togetherTo collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.Rate it:

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squeak outTo achieve something by a small margin.Rate it:

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