big guns
Those with clout
Big guns are the most powerful or influential people in a group or organization: They're bringing in the big guns to close the deal.
The phrase derives from heavy artillery—the largest weapons on a battlefield.
Someone can be a big gun themselves or can bring out, call in, or wheel out the big guns when serious force is needed.
- bigwigsInfluential, powerful people
- howitzersHigh-angle artillery weapons
- cannonsLarge mounted artillery pieces
- ordnanceMilitary weapons collectively
- firepowerCombat weapon effectiveness
heavyweights · heavy hitters · artillery · shot callers · arms · top brass · head honcho · weapons · clout · muscle · munitions · VIPs · power brokers · mortars · caliber · bosses · barrage · executives
- combat idiomsstab in the back, dodge a bullet, in the crosshairs, fire away, take a shot
- VIPscelebrities, superstars, head of state, stars, legend
- powerhousestitans, giants, juggernauts, heavyweights, behemoths
big gunsnobodies
Unimportant, unknown persons
small fry · lightweights · bit players · nonentities · pawns
big gunsbottom-feeders
Creatures eating debris below
grunts · peons · subordinates · rank and file · foot soldiers
big gunsnobodies
Unimportant, unknown persons
nonentities · zeroes · ciphers · unknowns · second-stringers
big, gun, guns, shotgun, gunning, gunner, gunned, shotguns, gunners