A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

little fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum. And the great fleas themselves, in turn,

have greater fleas to go on; While these again have greater still, and greater still, and so

on. 1979 R. BARNARD Posthumous Papers ii. There will be a long article in the Sunday

Chronicle.. and I’m afraid the Sunday Grub has got onto the story as well. Big fleas and

little fleas, you know—. 2001 Times 22 Dec. 19 They [CERN scientists] would identify

another lacuna in our knowledge which would require even bigger and better facilities to

decide whether it could or could not be explained. ‘Great fleas have little fleas upon their

backs to bite ’em, and little fleas have lesser fleas and so ad infinitum.’ associates;

great and small

big see also PROVIDENCE is always on the side of the big battalions; SPEAK softly and
carry a big stick.

The BIGGER they are, the harder they fall

Commonly attributed to the boxer Robert Fitzsimmons, prior to a fight c 1900 (see quot.
1902). (Come is sometimes used instead of are; see quot. 1971.) A similar form is however
found in earlier related proverbs, such as: 1493 H. PARKER Dives & Pauper R7V It is more
synne in the man For the higher degre [position] the harder is the fal; 1670 J. RAY English
Proverbs 102 The higher standing the lower fall. The idea can be traced back at least as far as
the 4th-cent. AD Latin poet Claudian (In Rufinum I. 22 Tolluntur in altum Ut lapsu graviore
ruant, men are raised on high in order that they may fall more heavily).

1902 National Police Gazette 27 Sept. 6 ‘If I can get close enough,’ he

[Fitzsimmons] once said, ‘I’ll guarantee to stop almost anybody. The bigger the man, the

heavier the fall.’ 1927 ‘C. BOYER’ Mosaic Earring i. ‘I haven’t seen.. even an imitation

of the blossom I would have to find before I surrender my sweet freedom.’ ‘The bigger

they are, the harder they fall.’ 1971 J. CLIFF (song-title) The bigger they come the harder

they fall. 1981 H. & B. BRETT Promises to Keep ix. ‘I thought a big, beautiful place like

this would be an exception to the general decline.’ ‘Sometimes,’ Mrs. Benjamin said

sagely, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall.’ 2002 New Scientist 30 Mar. 14

(headline) The bigger you are, the harder you fall. great and small; misfortune

bill see DEATH pays all debts.

billet see every BULLET has its billet.

bind see SAFE bind, safe find.