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giant

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a dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants

A person whose insights, discoveries, or knowledge in general is not due to ingenuity on his or her own part, but rather due to the discoveries or previous work of great minds that have come before. Though this is indeed an exciting discovery toward curing cancer, I am but a dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants.

See also: giant, of, on, shoulder, standing

stand on the shoulders of giants

To make discoveries, insights, or progress due to the discoveries or previous work of great minds that have come before. Though this is indeed an exciting discovery toward curing cancer, we have stood on the shoulders of giants to reach this point today.

See also: giant, of, on, shoulder, stand

gentle giant

Someone who is very large and strong but has a quiet and gentle nature. At first, I was afraid of the big, burly man covered in tattoos, but when I saw him rescue that kitten from the tree, I realized he was just a gentle giant.

See also: gentle, giant

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind

A phrase typically said in reference to a breakthrough or advancement of some kind. Astronaut Neil Armstrong famously said the phrase in 1969 when he became the first person to set foot on the moon. I think the self-driving car will be one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. When we find a cure for this illness, it will be one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

See also: giant, leap, mankind, one, small, step

sleeping giant

a great power that is still and waiting. The huge country to the south is a sleeping giant, waiting for its chance to become sufficiently industrialized to have real prosperity. The U.S. was a sleeping giant at the outbreak of both world wars.

See also: giant, sleep

a gentle giant

a man who is very tall and strong, but has a very quiet, gentle character that does not match his appearance As placid and amiable as he was tall, he became known as the gentle giant of the squad.

See also: gentle, giant

mental giant

n. a genius. I’m no mental giant, but I do know trouble when I see it.

See also: giant, mental