Big Cheese

Definition: someone of importance

Example: My cousin is a big cheese in the company. He will be able to get you a job interview.

The adjective “big” is usually placed before some nouns to refer to an important person, e.g. bigwig, big hitter, big shot, and interestingly, big cheese. At one time, cheese, irrespective of size, was a synonym for power and quality. In A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant and Vulgar Words, which was first published in 1859, the term cheese is defined as “anything good, first-rate in quality, genuine, pleasant, or advantageous”. Some speculate that the cheese grew big when the expression crossed the Atlantic to the United States, where huge wheels of cheese were displayed as publicity stunts and then ceremonially cut up by some important persons. In the early 20th century, the phrase big cheese came to be used to describe someone of notable influence within a group. But sometimes it is employed as a derogatory term for someone who is self-important.

Small Beer

Definition: something or someone of little importance

Example: The new plan involves a substantial increase in operating costs, which is no small beer.

The adjective “small” is used in conjunction with a noun to refer to something or someone considered unimportant. Examples include small potatoes, small fry and small beer. Since the early 14th century, the term small beer has been used to refer to beer of a weak or inferior quality. The English poet and playwright William Shakespeare was the first on record to use the expression in the figurative sense of “trivial matters” in the play Othello written around 1603.

A Big Fish in a Small Pond

Definition: someone who is powerful or important but only within a limited sphere of influence

Example: With his excellent qualifications, Peter is hoping to join a start-up and become a big fish in a small pond.

This expression, sometimes written as a big frog in a small pond, applies to a wide spectrum of decisions—school or job placements, your living place and so on. If you choose to be a big fish in a small pond, you are looking for a smaller or less prestigious school or organisation, where you may have a greater chance of standing out. The downside though is that there may be fewer growth opportunities, along with a fake sense of superiority due to a lack of competition. On the other hand, you may choose to be a small fish in a big pond, where only a select few will shine among the best, but you may benefit from more exposure and a wider peer network. So which one would you rather be: a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond?