Children or a child • Often used as a term of address, either affectionate or derogatory
An insignificant person or persons; nonentities: conveniences not enjoyed by the small fry overhead
[1866+; fr fry, ''small or immature fish'']
Idioms and Phrases with small fry
small fry
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Young children, as in This show is not suitable for small fry.
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Persons of little importance or influence, as in She wasn't about to invite the Washington small fry to the reception. Both usages allude to fry in the sense of “young or small fish.” [ Late 1800s ]