BIG CHICKEN LITTLE Meaning and
Definition
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Big Chicken Little refers to a person who is prone to exaggeration and overreaction, particularly in instances of fear or panic. The term alludes to the character Chicken Little from the popular fable, which revolves around a chicken who believes the sky is falling and spreads alarm among other animals. Adding "Big" to the term emphasizes that the person in question displays an amplified version of Chicken Little's characteristics.
The phrase is often used metaphorically to describe someone who tends to blow things out of proportion, imagining catastrophic scenarios even when the situation may not warrant such concerns. An individual labeled as a Big Chicken Little tends to exhibit a heightened sense of apprehension and may exhibit irrational behavior or express extreme worry in response to relatively minor or uncertain events.
This term can be applied to individuals who regularly indulge in hyperbole, thriving on dramatizing insignificant issues or perceiving even the slightest risk as a major threat. It is typically used in a colloquial or informal context and is employed to highlight the absurdity or irrationality of their fears. By characterizing someone as a Big Chicken Little, it implies that their tendency towards over-dramatization may cause unnecessary panic and anxiety within themselves and possibly influence others to behave similarly.
