big fish
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. An important, powerful, or influential person: This term is a metaphor comparing a significant person to a large, dominant fish in a body of water. It is often used in contexts like business, politics, or crime to denote someone with substantial authority or status.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- In the corporate world, he is considered a big fish.
- The investigation aimed to catch the big fish behind the smuggling ring, not just the low-level operatives.
- She moved to the city to become a big fish in the finance industry.
Advanced Usage
- "A big fish in a small pond": This idiom describes a person who is important or influential only within a limited, small-scale environment or community. The implication is that their status might not be as significant in a larger, more competitive setting.
- He was a big fish in a small pond at his local firm, but he struggled to stand out at the multinational headquarters.
Variants and Related Words
- Big shot (noun, informal): A synonym for an important or influential person.
- Bigwig (noun, informal): Another synonym for a person of great importance or high rank.
- Big cheese (noun, informal, somewhat dated): A humorous or informal term for an important person.
- Small fry (noun, informal): The opposite term, referring to people or things of little importance or influence.
Synonyms
- VIP
- Notable
- Magnate
- Mogul
- Heavyweight
Related Idioms
- "There are plenty of other fish in the sea": This is a different, common idiom used primarily to console someone after a failed romantic relationship, suggesting there are many other potential partners available. It does not use the specific term "big fish" but shares the aquatic metaphor.
- I know you're sad about the breakup, but remember, there are plenty of other fish in the sea.
Noun
- an important influential person
- he thinks he's a big shot
- she's a big deal in local politics
- the Qaeda commander is a very big fish