A person whose insights, discoveries, or knowledge in general is not due to their own ingenuity, 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.

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.

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.

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.

A conflict or competition between two or more powerful people, groups, or entities. Those are the two best teams in the league this year, so the championship game will really be a battle of the giants.

An extremely intelligent person. Typically used sarcastically. Some mental giant thought it would be a good idea to connect the wires in reverse order. It doesn't take a mental giant to realize that this will be bad for business.

A country that is not currently very powerful or influential but has the potential to be due to its size, population, resources, military, etc. It is still not a major economic player at the moment, but with its huge population and rapidly expanding technological infrastructure, many see it as something of a sleeping giant. I fear we may wake a sleeping giant if we initiate an attack against the country.