a big fish

a big fish

An important, successful, or influential person. Meeting a big fish like the company's CEO can be quite an intimidating experience for an intern. I'd rather be a big fish in a small pond than move to New York City and be a nobody! Unless we catch the big fish who contribute the most to this problem, then it will never be resolved.

See also: big, fish

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a big fish

COMMON If you call someone a big fish, you mean that they are important or powerful. The four who were arrested here last September were described as really big fish by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

See also: big, fish

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

a big ˈfish (in a little/small pond)

an important person but only in a small community, group, etc: I would rather stay here in the village and be a big fish in a little pond than go to the city where no one knows me.

See also: big, fish

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

big fish

n. the boss; the leader. (Underworld.) We took in the little guys, but the big fish got away.

See also: big, fish

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.