small fry
Kids or minnows
Small fry are people or things of little importance or influence.
The term comes from fry meaning young fish, suggesting something too small to matter much.
It often dismisses minor players in contrast to bigger ones: The investigators weren't interested in small fry—they wanted the boss.
Small fry also refers affectionately to young children: The small fry were running around the backyard.
Child learning to walk
- infantVery young child
- juvenileYoung person or animal
- youthState of being immature
- kindergartenEarly schooling for youngsters
playground · nursery · preschool · childhood · toys · crayons · storybook · lullaby
Lower-ranked employees
- minionsObedient subordinates of power
- peonsMenial laborers with little status
- nonentitiesUnimportant, forgettable people
- unknownsUndetermined quantities
lightweights · subordinates · pawns · nobodies · neophytes · amateurs · bit players · rank and file
toddler
Child learning to walk
kindergarten · playground · nursery · preschool · childhood · toys · crayons · storybook · lullaby · playtime
underlings
Lower-ranked employees
- minionsObedient subordinates of power
- peonsMenial laborers with little status
- nonentitiesUnimportant, forgettable people
unknowns · lightweights · subordinates · pawns · nobodies · neophytes · amateurs · bit players · rank and file · second-stringers
- childrenkids, toddler, baby, infant, youngster
- youngsterskids, children, youngsters, toddlers, babies
- fishing idiomshook line and sinker, fish out of water, the one that got away, fishing for compliments, fish or cut bait
- Insignificant thingstrivial, minor, tiny, negligible, petty
- smallnesslittle, tiny, mini, miniature, minute
- sea jokesholy mackerel, fish out of water, fish story, fish tales, off the hook
small frybigwig
Influential, important person
big shot · big cheese · big fish · VIP · heavyweight
small frybig fish
Influential person or large swimmer
major player · heavyweight · titan · behemoth · powerhouse