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Little fish in a big pond

Little fish in a big pond

Meaning

Someone considered unimportant compared to their more significant peers.

Examples

Jimmy’s first school only had seven pupils and he was the star, but when he got to high-school he was a little fish in a big pond.

Where did it originate?

USA, early 20th century.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Little fish in a big pond

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