a question of »
The important question is; the necessary question is.
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ad fontes »
Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.
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all cats are grey in the dark »
In the dark, physical appearance is unimportant.
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all important »
vital
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asleep at the switch »
Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.
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back burner »
A state of low urgency; a state of low current importance.
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back-burner »
Having low urgency; not currently important.
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be-all and end-all »
Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.
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big cheese »
A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
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big daddy »
Something or someone of importance.
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big deal »
Something very important, difficult, or of concern.
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big enchilada »
A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.
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big fish in a small pond »
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.
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big shot »
A person with a reputation of importance or power.
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big up »
To proclaim or exaggerate the importance of.
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bigwig »
A person of importance to a group or organization.
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bottom line »
The summary or result; the most important information; the upshot; the net-net.
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bury the lead »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
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bury the lede »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
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dawn of a new day »
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
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drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators »
(idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.
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everything happens for a reason »
All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore
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feel one's oats »
To feel important; to be empowered.
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for all intents and purposes »
For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
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four score and seven years ago »
As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.
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get down to brass tacks »
Deal with the important details.
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grand poobah »
A person who is important or high-ranking.
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hair-splitting »
The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.
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hair-splittingly »
With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.
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have other fish to fry »
To have more important things to do.
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hill of beans »
Something of no importance.
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historical figure »
A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.
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historical figure »
A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.
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horse around »
To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.
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how's the weather »
Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.
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if you lie with dogs you will get fleas »
It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.
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in the driver's seat »
Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.
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it's not what you know but who you know »
For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know
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keep one's eye on the ball »
To maintain one's concentration fixed on one important theme.
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kick up a fuss »
To show annoyance, or to complain loudly about something, often when it is of little importance in reality.
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lie back and think of England »
. "think of England" refers to the importance of children.
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make a mountain out of a molehill »
To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.
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neither here nor there »
Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.
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never mind »
It is not important; do not fret.
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not the end of the world »
It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.
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off the radar »
Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.
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ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
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play down »
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
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play up »
To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.
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prawn cocktail offensive »
A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.
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pull one's finger out »
To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.
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put aside »
To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.
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put on the dog »
To dress up; to put on airs; to make a show of wealth and/or importance; to be pretentious.
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road to Damascus »
A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.
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show the flag »
To represent one's country or some other group in a manner intended to suggest the authority or importance of that country or group.
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small fry »
One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.
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small potatoes »
One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.
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spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »
To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.
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stop press »
The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.
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stop the presses »
An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.
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take a back seat »
To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.
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take one's eye off the ball »
To lose one's concentration on what is most important.
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tempus fugit »
time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.
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the long and short of it »
The gist; the essence or substance; the most important or salient features; said of a summary or digest.
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the thing of it »
The important point to consider.
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to all intents and purposes »
For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
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without fail »
Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.
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worth one's while »
Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.
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