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People with big feet need big shoes. But is this expression really about footwear?
Big Shoes to Fill
Speaker A: Wait a minute, who are you?
Speaker B: Hi Anna. I’m Dan. I’m new to the office. Nice to meet you.
Speaker A: Nice to meet you, Dan. You know, you have big shoes to fill. I mean big.
Speaker B: Why is everyone telling me that?
If someone has big shoes to feel, they feel pressure to do as well as someone before them. You can use this idiom in the workplace. A new co-worker who replaces a well-liked, accomplished employee may have big shoes to fill.
*This article has been edited and reprinted from VOA Learning English with permission from Voice of America (VOA) for use in English language materials.
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