the big leagues
Meaning: The highest, most competitive level of an activity.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “With a national TV deal, the little bakery has made it to the big leagues.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From American baseball, where the major leagues are the top professional level. The figurative use for any top tier dates from the early 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: La cour des grands — literally: The big children's playground
More idioms — Daily Life
- rich as Croesus — Extremely wealthy.
- everyone's a critic — A wry reply to unwanted criticism: it is easy to find fault.
- the pitcher goes to the well once too often — Repeated risk-taking eventually ends in disaster.
- a road to Damascus moment — A sudden, life-changing realization or conversion.
- the sword of Damocles — A constant threat of disaster hanging over someone.
- the deck is stacked — The situation is unfairly arranged so that someone will lose.
More English idioms
- after me, the deluge — I don't care what happens after I am gone.
- lie through one's teeth — To lie openly and shamelessly.
- slow on the uptake — Slow to understand.
- kiss something goodbye — To accept that one has lost something or will never get it.
- set one's sights on — To decide to try to get or achieve something.
- God forbid — Used to say that one hopes something bad will not happen.
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