the tail wagging the dog

the tail wagging the dog
the tail wagging the dog (informal)
A situation in which the less important element or factor controls or influences the more important
• • •
Main Entry:tail

* * *

the tail wagging the dog — see tail, 1
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Main Entry:dog
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the tail wagging the dog
informal — used to describe a situation in which an important or powerful person, organization, etc., is being controlled by someone or something that is much less important or powerful
• • •
Main Entry:tail
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the tail wagging the dog — see tail, 1
• • •
Main Entry:wag

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • (the) tail wagging the dog — the tail wagging the dog informal phrase used for saying that a situation is stupid because something important is being decided or controlled by something less important Thesaurus: words used to describe situations and circumstanceshyponym… …   Useful english dictionary

  • (the) tail wagging the dog — if you describe a situation as the tail wagging the dog, you mean that the least important part of a situation has too much influence over the most important part. Steve thinks we should buy an orange carpet to match the lampshade but I think… …   New idioms dictionary

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  • (the) tail (is) wagging the dog — the tail (is) wagging the ˈdog idiom used to describe a situation in which the most important aspect is being influenced and controlled by sb/sth that is not as important Main entry: ↑tailidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • tail wagging the dog —    This expression refers to a situation where there is a reversal of roles, with the small or minor element having a controlling influence on the most important element.     If you let your children decide on everything, it will be a case of the …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • tail wagging the dog — See the tail wagging the dog …   English idioms

  • tail wags the dog — Said of situations in which a minor part is in control of the whole. * /He is just a minor employee at the firm, yet he gives everyone orders, a case of the tail wagging the dog./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

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  • tail\ wags\ the\ dog — Said of situations in which a minor part is in control of the whole. He is just a minor employee at the firm, yet he gives everyone orders, a case of the tail wagging the dog …   Словарь американских идиом

  • the tail wagging the dog — Meaning An item of group of minor importance influencing events more than its larger and more important neighbour. S.J. Perelman, the US humorist, used the phrase for a nice wittism after escaping the attentions of a group of prostitutes A case… …   Meaning and origin of phrases

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