n. Slang
- One who is in charge: " (Mary McGrory).
- Something of the highest value or importance: " (Scott Ostler).
[On the model of such expressions as big cheese.]
| Dictionary: big enchilada |
[On the model of such expressions as big cheese.]
| Idioms: big cheese |
Also,
big shot or gun or wheel or enchilada. An important, powerful person; the boss. For example, She loved being the big cheese of her company; the big guns in Congress are bound to change the President's bill; you'd better not act like a big shot among your old friends; Harry was the big wheel in his class; and You'll have to get permission from the big enchilada. The first term dates from the late 1800s and its origin is disputed. Some think it comes from the Urdu word
chiz or cheez for "thing," but others hold it plays on the English word "chief." Big gun is much older, dating from the early 1800s;
big shot became very popular in the late 1920s, particularly when used for underworld leaders of gangsters;
big wheel dates from about the same period. Big enchilada, often put as the big enchilada, is the newest, dating from the early 1970s.
| WordNet: big cheese |
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
(informal) an important influential person
Synonyms: big shot, big wheel, head honcho
| Best of the Web: big enchilada |
Some good "big enchilada" pages on the web:
Phrase www.phrases.org.uk |
| PuzzleCrack | |
| Smoking gun | |
| California Democratic primary, 2008 |
| What rhymes with enchiladas? Read answer... | |
| When and were was enchiladas invented? Read answer... | |
| Where is enchiladas eaten? Read answer... |
| Why is it called enchiladas? | |
| What are enchiladas made of? | |
| Were are enchiladas from which city? |
Copyrights:
![]() | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |