800-pound gorilla
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"800-pound gorilla" is an American English expression for an entity so powerful that it can act without regard to the rights of others or the law.[1] The phrase is rooted in a riddle joke:
This highlights the disparity of power between the gorilla and ordinary humans. 800 pounds are approximately Script error: No such module "convert"..
The term can describe a powerful geopolitical and military force, or, in business, a powerful corporate entity that has such a large majority percentage of whatever market they compete within that they can use that strength to crush would-be competitors. In law, the phrase occurs as a characterization of judges vs. courts; as in: "Standard/Court Rule" vs "Gorilla/Judge Rule".[2]
The metaphor has been mixed, on occasion, with the metaphor of the elephant in the room.[3]
See also
References
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