The tail wagging the dog

Meaning

A small and usually insignificant factor (or person) dominates over one that is normally more powerful and influential.

Examples

Even small countries like Estonia have a veto in European Union voting and can’t be over-ruled. I’d call that the tail wagging the dog.

Where did it originate?

USA, 1870s.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

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.

The tail wagging the dog