ad fontes »
Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.
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back burner »
A state of low urgency; a state of low current importance.
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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 daddy »
Something or someone of importance.
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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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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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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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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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in the driver's seat »
Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.
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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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not the end of the world »
It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.
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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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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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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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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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without fail »
Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.
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