walk tall

A term, from the black community, for carrying oneself with pride.

The title of a tune (written by Zawinul, Marrow and Rein) recorded by Cannonball Adderly during a period when he was actively encouraging black pride. On a version recorded at a Jesse Jackson "Operation Push" meeting, Cannonball ends it by telling the audience to "Walk Tall, y'all"

walk tall by guyfromtheday August 12, 2010

Walk tall, carrying a big stick. 

Walk tall and carry a big stick means: Describes person who is prepared to take action, take charge, take over; to be a fearless authority figure, known for using punitive measures sparsely but always accurately, swiftly and appropriate to the crime when needed. Punishment was always dealt fairly (hence walking tall; as in able to hold ones head high, with integrity)

In her classroom, Ms. Apple walked tall; carrying a big stick. Her smiles w ere earned and her praise was for those truly deserving of it. Her students were always on task and received the highest test scores in the whole school. No one dared step out of line when she was in charge.

The other saying was Roosevelt's..."Speak softly and carry a big stick"...which had to do with his negotiations of foreign policy.

Some say it wrong, as in "Walk softly and carry a big stick." That phrase dates back to the 1960's and '70s when Snipe hunting was all the rage. One had to "walk softly and carry a big stick" so one could sneak up on those little buggers in the bushes and be ready to bash them with the stick...

Ms. Apple "walked tall carrying a big stick." Her class was always on task and earned the highest state test scores in the building. From: Walk tall, carrying a big stick.

Walk tall, carrying a big stick. by KatWoman66 November 15, 2014

Tall Girl Walk 

when a tall girl walks awkwardly or with bad posture by slouching or bending their legs extra to seem shorter or not look as tall.

damn, mikaila you have tall girl walk, we all know your tall you don’t need to slouch.

Tall Girl Walk by Jacobhater March 20, 2019

Can't walk in the tall grass

Idiom

Etymology:

Of Native American origin it describes the inability of a person to successfully walk through tall grass. Before colonization the great plains of North American were covered with large sections of tall grasses. Instead of going around acres of tall grass, people could walk straight through them.

The implication is that a capable adult is both tall enough to see above shoulder height tall grass and wise enough to navigate and form a path through tall grass that is above their head. Children and people that are not intelligent will get lost in the tall grass and need help to get out or even die.

Usually applied to a person, but could apply to a thing.

Similar to: If you can't handle the heat get out of the kitchen, shape up or ship out

1: transitive, present tense

a: Describing a person that cannot handle the situation they are in.

b: Describing a person that is not intelligent enough to figure out something that others easily can.

2: rhetorical question

Implying that the person being asked is not keeping up with the group or not able to handle the task they were given.

1a: "Jim can't walk in the tall grass. He got promoted to sergeant and just took a month long stress leave"

1b: "I've been training the new hire for a week now and she still can't figure out how to clock in.....she can't walk in the tall grass."

2: "Hey Ron, Jim was late and installed the wiring for 2 rooms today but you were here all day and barely got half of one done. Can't walk in the tall grass?"

Can't walk in the tall grass by Babakanoosh March 30, 2022