knee-high to a grasshopper



knee-high to a grasshopper

Quite young, as in I haven't seen him since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. This hyperbolic expression, dating from about 1850 and alluding to someone's youth, replaced the earlier knee-high to a mosquito or bumblebee or splinter.
See also: grasshopper

knee-high to a grasshopper

mod. of very short stature. (Folksy.) I knew you when you were knee-high to a grasshopper.
See also: grasshopper

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Ranulph-Scottish
Aldus-Medieval English
Ernust-Ancient Germanic
EmmieEM-eeEnglish
Leannelee-ANEnglish
Philomenafil-ə-MEEN-ə (English)English, German, Late Greek