small fry

small fry

1. A small, young child (or children). An allusion to newly hatched fish. Can be singular or plural, and can also be pluralized as "small fries." There's a bouncy castle out the back for the small fry, and we have video games set up in the living room for the older kids. You're still just a small fry. When you're bigger, you can come skateboarding, too.
2. By extension, trifling, unimportant, or inconsequential persons or things. I've been trying to raise my concerns about the project, but the company's upper management doesn't listen to small fry like me. The investigations have turned up small fries so far, but I think they're getting closer to the big money laundering scheme.
See also: fry, small
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

small fry

 
1. Lit. newly hatched fish; small, juvenile fish. The catch was bad today. Nothing but small fry.
2. Fig. unimportant people. The police have only caught the small fry. The leader of the gang is still free. You people are just small fry! I want to talk to the boss.
3. Fig. children. Peter's taking the small fry to the zoo. We should take the small fry to the pantomime.
See also: fry, small
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

small fry

1. Young children, as in This show is not suitable for small fry.
2. Persons of little importance or influence, as in She wasn't about to invite the Washington small fry to the reception. Both usages allude to fry in the sense of "young or small fish." [Late 1800s]
See also: fry, small
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

ˈsmall fry

(informal) people, groups or businesses that are not considered to be important or powerful: These local companies are only small fry compared to the huge multinationals. OPPOSITE: a big name/noise/shot
See also: fry, small
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

small fry

1. n. anything or anyone small or unimportant. (Fry are juvenile fish.) Don’t worry about the small fry. You have to please the fat-cats.
2. n. small children. The small fries have eaten and are getting ready for bed.
See also: fry, small
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • fit on the back of a postage stamp
  • play a small part (in something)
  • increase by leaps and bounds
  • by leaps and bounds
  • by/in leaps and bounds
  • in leaps and bounds
  • nipperkin
  • grow by leaps and bounds
  • puddle jumper
  • grow like Topsy
References in periodicals archive
Produced by Small Fry Productions, Atlanta, Georgia.
A peek-a-view. (Films/Videos/DVDs)
Chippie chief Sammy Cameron is no small fry on the fish supper circuit.
It's salmon rush days for Sammy
the big guy), LeDray takes up the viewpoint of the small fry, and it's not funny anymore.
Charles Ledray
Small fry Ovo scored highest with 88%, followed by Octopus on 87%.
Gas and leccy firms blasted by customers
GANGSTER Christopher Welsh junior's prison drugs plot was "small fry" compared with the PS200m cross-border cartel he directed, a court heard.
Ganster's jail drugs plot was 'small fry'
They should be in a group of their own with the other small fry to play for the right to face the bigger countries in qualification.
SAN MARINO NOT VIT FOR BIG TIME
Alastair Cook insisted on playing in the tour match at the MCG, only to make scores of 27 and 10 - small fry compared with his prolific run-making in the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests.
Prior happy with century
This just proves that when it comes to a bonus it is one rule for the rulers and another for the small fry who do the work.
Wag bonus fair; yourLETTERS
BORO are small fry compared to the big money earning clubs.
Big earning clubs
This week, Crawford convinces his boss that Louise is small fry and they'd be better off keeping an eye on her.
TV Today's: drama; Wired (ITV1, 9pm)
When seen against Britain's all-time most-watched TV, Big Brother is small fry.
THE ALL-TIME TV MUST-SEES
Which is the predominant breed of small fry in whitebait?
Quiz of the Day
Astronomers say that they now have a compelling case of a big galaxy caught in the act of eating a small fry. Some 2 billion light-years from Earth, a galaxy about as large as the Milky Way is pulling two plumes of stars from a tiny satellite galaxy, report Duncan A.
Strong evidence of galactic cannibalism
The Small Fry is a pediatric wheelchair for children ages 2 to 8.
NEW PRODUCTS
Titles are for male and female dancers in categories of Small Fry, Junior, Pre-Teen, Teen, Young Senior, and Senior.
Competitions across the boards