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Phrase(s): Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
Prov. It is better to be the leader of a less prestigious group than to be a subordinate in a more prestigious one. • Joe: I can be the headmaster of a small secondary school, or I can be a teacher at a famous university. Which job offer do you think I should take? Nancy: Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. • A professional writing workshop had asked Bob to join, but he elected to stay with his amateur group, since he thought it better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs