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to small potatoes
01
a person or thing of small importance
Humorous
Idiom
InformalWhat is the origin of the idiom "small potatoes" and when to use it?
The idiom "small potatoes" originated in the United States during the 19th century and was associated with the idea of small, insignificant, or unimportant things. Potatoes were once considered a humble and inexpensive food, so this expression is used to suggest that something is of little value or consequence, like a meager or trivial portion of a meal.
Example
In the world of international finance, a million dollars can sometimes be considered small potatoes.
She thought missing the bus was a disaster, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just small potatoes.
Compared to the major problems we face, that issue is just small potatoes.
His criticism of my outfit is small potatoes compared to the bigger challenges I'm dealing with.
