Английская Википедия:800-pound gorilla

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Файл:Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) closeup eating.jpg
Gorillas can be intimidating.

"800-pound gorilla" is an American English expression for a person or organization 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:

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This highlights the disparity of power between the gorilla and ordinary humans. 800 pounds are approximately Шаблон: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 semi-(in)formally 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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