big dog
2
6.7
- noun
- Informal
:
gran figura
- - It takes a big dog to admit that.
So save me room up there, big dog.
- So save me room up there, big dog.
- So as these big dogs, right, are, are doing this mass marketing these, you know, big promotions, get on the phone and call.
- OK, so big dog getting out and about, huh?
Examples
-
Hey, what's up, big dog?
-
A possum can't run from a big dog.
-
I'm up there with the big dogs!
-
I can't wait to see what the competition will bring to the table, but Apple is clearly the big dog in the house.
Blog text (5) -
I'd say there's a new big dog in town anyway.
Blog text (15) -
You wanna shit with the big dogs, stop pissing with the puppies.
-
There can be a "big dog on the block," or an 800lb gorilla, whichever you prefer.
Blog text (5) -
When you're the big dog, you can afford to dictate policy to those reselling your products.
Blog text (15) -
I'm sure Werde has connections with most of the big dogs in the business, and it's not like Carrie’s on an indie.
Blog text (15) -
When it comes to negotiations, everyone listens to her because she's the big dog in the industry.
Synonyms
126
4.0
A very important and influential person in a field
91
3.9
A person who is important and powerful in a job or field
43
3.5
A famous and important person or group in one area
37
3.8
An important person who is treated as successful or powerful
35
6.8
A very important event, thing, or person that matters a lot
22
6.9
An important person with power in a company or group
21
4.6
A person with the most power in a group
14
3.6
An important person in a group or organization who has power
12
4.9
A person who has a lot of power and influence in a field
9
5.1
An important person with power in a company or field
8
5.3
A person who is very important in a group or company
4
9.5
A very important person in a group or organization, often the most powerful
4
7.5
A very large, strong, or important person like a leader
2
7.0
A confident person who takes charge and leads a group that others follow
1
8.1
An important person who makes key decisions for a group
1
8.6
An important person with power in a group or area
1
5.6
An important person who has a lot of power in a group
1
8.2
A very large and powerful company or group that dominates its field
A joking name for a person who has great power in a group
Antonyms
How Important
- Literature
33
7.0
- Literature
14
7.0
- Informal
2
6.7
15
3.2
5
4.1
- Offensive
14
5.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
big + dog
While 'big' can metaphorically mean important, 'dog' is literally an animal and the shift to mean a prominent person is metaphorical and not directly predictable from the parts. Similar animal-for-person idioms (e.g. 'top dog') exist, so a learner might partly infer status, but the exact meaning typically requires prior exposure.
Etymology
Big dog comes from the image of a very large dog that wins fights and bosses other dogs, so everyone looks to it as the leader. That's why people call someone a big dog when they mean 'an important or powerful person'.