small fry

small fry
noun
1. a young person of either sex
-

she writes books for children

-

they're just kids

-

`tiddler' is a British term for youngster

• Syn:
↑child, ↑kid, ↑youngster, ↑minor, ↑shaver, ↑nipper, ↑tiddler, ↑tike, ↑tyke, ↑fry, ↑nestling
• Derivationally related forms: ↑childly (for: ↑child), ↑childhood (for: ↑child)
• Hypernyms: ↑juvenile, ↑juvenile person
• Hyponyms:
• Part Meronyms: ↑child's body
2. someone who is small and insignificant
• Syn: ↑pip-squeak, ↑squirt
• Hypernyms: ↑cipher, ↑cypher, ↑nobody, ↑nonentity

* * *

—small-fry, adj.
1. children: a treat for the small fry.
2. unimportant persons or objects: Her parties were closed to the small fry.
3. small or young fish.
[1895-1900]

* * *

small fry
1. Small things collectively, people or things of little importance
2. Children
• • •
Main Entry: ↑fry
————————
small fry noun
1. A small person
2. An unimportant or insignificant person (or people)
• • •
Main Entry: ↑small

* * *

small fry UK US noun [plural] informal
people or things that are not important
Thesaurus: unimportant person or peoplesynonym

* * *

small fry,
1. babies or children; small or young creatures: »

Small fry and their mothers may share similar creative art experiences at the People's Art Center (New York Times).

2. small fish.
3. Figurative. people or things having little importance: »

The forest giants among the trees do not kill the small fry under them (Scientific American).

* * *

plural n. young fish, animals, or children
■ insignificant people or things

high-ranking officials escaped prosecution while numerous small fry were imprisoned

* * *

noun, pl ⋯ fries
informal
1 US
1 a [count] : a child
— usually singular

I remember going to the beach when I was just a small fry.

1 b [noncount] : ↑children

fun activities for the small fry

2 [noncount] : people or things that are not important

Big businesses are not concerned with the small fry.

* * *

ˈsmall fry [small fry] noun uncountable + singular or plural verb (informal)
people or things that are considered unimportant compared to sb/sth else

•

That's small fry to her.

•

People like us are small fry to such a large business.

* * *

small fry
see fry n.1 4.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • small fry — {n.} 1. Young children. * /In the park, a sandbox is provided for the small fry./ 2. Something or someone of little importance. * /Large dairies ignore the competition from the small fry who make only a few hundred pounds of cheese a year./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • small fry — {n.} 1. Young children. * /In the park, a sandbox is provided for the small fry./ 2. Something or someone of little importance. * /Large dairies ignore the competition from the small fry who make only a few hundred pounds of cheese a year./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • small fry — small fry, adj. 1. children: a treat for the small fry. 2. unimportant persons or objects: Her parties were closed to the small fry. 3. small or young fish. [1895 1900] * * * …   Universalium

  • small fry — small′ fry n. pl. 1) very young children 2) unimportant persons or things 3) small or young fish • Etymology: 1895–1900 small′ fry , adj …   From formal English to slang

  • small fry — n [U] people or things that are not important when compared to other people or things ▪ There s no point in arresting the small fry …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • small fry — If someone is small fry, they are unimportant. The term is often used when the police arrest the less important criminals, but are unable to catch the leaders and masterminds …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • small fry — ► PLURAL NOUN 1) young or small fish. 2) young or insignificant people or things …   English terms dictionary

  • small fry — small ,fry noun plural INFORMAL 1. ) AMERICAN very young children 2. ) people or things that are not important …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • small fry — pl.n., n. ☆ 1. children ☆ 2. people or things regarded as insignificant Sometimes used in sing …   English World dictionary

  • small fry — N UNCOUNT: also N in pl (small fry is both the singular and the plural form.) Small fry is used to refer to someone or something that is considered to be unimportant. They owed ₤92,897 to the Inland Revenue. But that is small fry compared to the… …   English dictionary

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