--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They think so small, they use small…" description: "\"They think so small, they use small words. But not me, I'm smarter than that, I've worked it out. I'm stretching my mouth to let those big words come o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/peter-gabriel-7354_big-words_they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words_1513854.jpg" --- # They think so small, they use small words. But not me, I'm… ![“They think so small, they use small words. But not me, I'm smarter than that, I've worked it out. I'm stretching my mouth to let those big words come on out.” quote by Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/peter-gabriel-7354_big-words_they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words_1513854.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/peter-gabriel-7354_big-words_they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words_1513854.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/peter-gabriel-7354_big-words_they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words_1513854.jpg) > “They think so small, they use small words. But not me, I'm smarter than that, I've worked it out. I'm stretching my mouth to let those big words come on out.” [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He expands his language to match his confidence, using larger, more complex words to assert intelligence. **In simple terms:** He uses big words to show he’s smarter. Key Takeaway Embrace expansive vocabulary. Themes confidence language self‑expression Mood assertive proud Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - debate - teaching Key Concepts linguistic ambition assertiveness Questions to Reflect On - How does word choice affect perceived intelligence? - When is simplicity more effective? A Different Perspective May sound pretentious if not matched by substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Egotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egotism/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Small words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-words/) [Stretching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stretching/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I go through the text making sure I haven't used any big words. If I find any fancy adjectives have crept in, I replace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-millar/i-go-through-the-text-making-sure-i-haven-t-used-any-big-words-if-i/) [Martin Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-millar/) > [Infinitesimal braggadocio I'm but since you most likely don't understand me with using big words I use small words to say I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/infinitesimal-braggadocio-i-m-but-since-you-most-likely-don-t/) MrAwesome > [“The secret to good writing is to use small words for big ideas, not to use big words for small ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus/the-secret-to-good-writing-is-to-use-small-words-for-big-ideas-not-to/) [Oliver Markus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus/) > [“Funny things, words. Big words, small words; words that are bigger on the inside and packed tight with feeling. They can make us fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-harcourt/funny-things-words-big-words-small-words-words-that-are-bigger-on-the/) Maggie Harcourt > [You’ve got to give great tools to small teams. Pick good people, use small teams and give them great tools so that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/you-ve-got-to-give-great-tools-to-small-teams-pick-good-people-use-2/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [You can be too big for God to use, but you can never be too small for God to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/you-can-be-too-big-for-god-to-use-but-you-can-never-be-too-small-for/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [You've got to give great tools to small teams. Pick good people, use small teams, give them excellent tools...so that they are very productive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/you-ve-got-to-give-great-tools-to-small-teams-pick-good-people-use/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We may easily be too big for God to use, but never too small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/we-may-easily-be-too-big-for-god-to-use-but-never-too-small/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [From building a fire one can learn something about artistic composition. If you use only small kindling and large logs, the fire will quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-arnheim/from-building-a-fire-one-can-learn-something-about-artistic/) [Rudolf Arnheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-arnheim/) > [Climbing up on Solsbury Hill I could see the city light Wind was blowing, time stood still Eagle flew out of the night He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/climbing-up-on-solsbury-hill-i-could-see-the-city-light-wind-was/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [One great aim of revision is to cut out. In the exuberance of composition it is natural to throw in - as one does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/one-great-aim-of-revision-is-to-cut-out-in-the-exuberance-of/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“If you love someone, tell them. Tell them now. Because two hearts can easily be broken By 3 small words that are left unspoken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/if-you-love-someone-tell-them-tell-them-now-because-two-hearts-can/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [He knows that the most important words in all languages are the small words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/he-knows-that-the-most-important-words-in-all-languages-are-the-small/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I'll explain and I'll use small words so that you'll be sure to understand, you warthog faced buffoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-elwes/i-ll-explain-and-i-ll-use-small-words-so-that-you-ll-be-sure-to/) [Cary Elwes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-elwes/) > [That small word "Force," they make a barber's block, Ready to put on Meanings most strange and various, fit to shock Pupils of Newton……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clerk-maxwell/that-small-word-force-they-make-a-barber-s-block-ready-to-put-on/) [James Clerk Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clerk-maxwell/) ## More by Peter Gabriel > [I think another thing is that we don't really want exclusivity. We accept that it is in the artist's interest to be on sale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/i-think-another-thing-is-that-we-don-t-really-want-exclusivity-we/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [The rhythm is below me, the rhythm of the heat. The rhythm is around me, the rhythm has control. The rhythm is inside me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/the-rhythm-is-below-me-the-rhythm-of-the-heat-the-rhythm-is-around-me/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [I try when I'm writing to fill my head and my ears with all sorts of stuff and then let it settle and filter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/i-try-when-i-m-writing-to-fill-my-head-and-my-ears-with-all-sorts-of/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [I'm a bit cynical that it ever will be addressed properly. I think it is healthy to get some sort of copyright protection. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/i-m-a-bit-cynical-that-it-ever-will-be-addressed-properly-i-think-it/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [The industry does have some influence on who gets other awards. With the Mercury Prize, they don't. Jon comes from the business, but his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/the-industry-does-have-some-influence-on-who-gets-other-awards-with/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [The UN Declaration of Human Rights laid down what any person might reasonably expect, yet there are remarkably few people who enjoy these rights.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/the-un-declaration-of-human-rights-laid-down-what-any-person-might/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [It took me three albums to get the confidence and to find out what I could do that made me different from other people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/it-took-me-three-albums-to-get-the-confidence-and-to-find-out-what-i/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [I really wanted the first record to be different from what I'd done with Genesis, so we were trying to do things in different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/i-really-wanted-the-first-record-to-be-different-from-what-i-d-done/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [What intrigues me is that you get a good bunch of musicians together, and interesting things will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/what-intrigues-me-is-that-you-get-a-good-bunch-of-musicians-together/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [The book of love has music in it In fact that's where music comes from Some of it is just transcendental Some of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/the-book-of-love-has-music-in-it-in-fact-that-s-where-music-comes/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [The American record company Geffen got so fed up with me that they said they weren't going to release my fourth record unless I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/the-american-record-company-geffen-got-so-fed-up-with-me-that-they/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [We've got to get in to get out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/we-ve-got-to-get-in-to-get-out/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [As we become so visible in the digital world and leave an endless trail of data behind us, exactly who has our data and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/as-we-become-so-visible-in-the-digital-world-and-leave-an-endless/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [Whenever we defend democracy we find oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/whenever-we-defend-democracy-we-find-oil/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [I get lost, sometimes. Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/i-get-lost-sometimes-days-pass-and-this-emptiness-fills-my-heart/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) [Explore all 92 Peter Gabriel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) ## More Big words quotes > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Well, 'aight, check this out, dawg. First of all, you throwin' too many big words at me, and because I don't understand them, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/well-aight-check-this-out-dawg-first-of-all-you-throwin-too-many-big/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [He read a lot. He used a lot of big words. I think maybe part of what got him into trouble was that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/he-read-a-lot-he-used-a-lot-of-big-words-i-think-maybe-part-of-what/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-laugh-at-me-because-i-use-big-words-but-if-you-have-big-ideas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Small fruit is better than big words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/small-fruit-is-better-than-big-words/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...because if there was one thing he didn't like it was big words, they just lied and covered things up, those big words, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fosse/because-if-there-was-one-thing-he-didn-t-like-it-was-big-words-they/) Jon Fosse > [“It must be lovely to be grown up, Marilla, when just being treated as if you were is so nice...Well, anyway, when I grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/it-must-be-lovely-to-be-grown-up-marilla-when-just-being-treated-as/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [There is a note that comes into the human voice by which you may know real weariness. It comes when one has been trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/there-is-a-note-that-comes-into-the-human-voice-by-which-you-may-know/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [“Big words from a guy who's trussed up like a turkey. What are you going to do, wobble over here like an upside- down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/big-words-from-a-guy-who-s-trussed-up-like-a-turkey-what-are-you/) [Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/) > [Infinitesimal braggadocio I'm but since you most likely don't understand me with using big words I use small words to say I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/infinitesimal-braggadocio-i-m-but-since-you-most-likely-don-t/) MrAwesome > [“I don't use big words to show off because it's ostentatious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-roff/i-don-t-use-big-words-to-show-off-because-it-s-ostentatious/) [Don Roff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-roff/) > [“I'm working class. But it's the working class that keeps the world running, and it's the working class that gets exploited. What the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-m-working-class-but-it-s-the-working-class-that-keeps-the-world/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“But if you have big ideas you have to use big words to express them, haven't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/but-if-you-have-big-ideas-you-have-to-use-big-words-to-express-them/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [I hate anything that occupies more space than it is worth... I hate to see a parcel of big words without anything in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/i-hate-anything-that-occupies-more-space-than-it-is-worth-i-hate-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [If you use big words, no one will know you aren't doing jack squat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/if-you-use-big-words-no-one-will-know-you-aren-t-doing-jack-squat/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) Browse all 122 Big words quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They think so small, they use small words. But not me, I'm smarter than that, I've worked it out. I'm stretching my mouth to let those big words come on out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Gabriel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words-but-not-me-i-m-smarter-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big words" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words-but-not-me-i-m-smarter-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/peter-gabriel-7354_big-words_they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words_1513854.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/peter-gabriel-7354_big-words_they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words_1513854.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/peter-gabriel-7354_big-words_they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words_1513854.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They think so small, they use small words. But not me, I'm smarter than that, I've worked it out. I'm…” — Peter Gabriel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Gabriel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They think so small, they use...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words-but-not-me-i-m-smarter-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/they-think-so-small-they-use-small-words-but-not-me-i-m-smarter-than/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```