tail wagging the dog, the

1. A small or unimportant factor or element governing an important one; a reversal of the proper roles. For example, She found herself explaining the new therapy to her doctor—a real case of the tail wagging the dog. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

“PES started to focus on the wrong elements. It went too mad for players that resembled their real-life counterparts, and motion-capture was front and centre. This was the tail wagging the dog. The engine was creaking, and responsiveness went out in favour of realism.”

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Far from it being a case of the tail wagging the dog, the collection looked great, even removed from its Japanese element and shrunken to smartphone-size.

Read more on New York Times

“We’ve got the tail wagging the dog. The arrest in New Orleans is nothing but a product of the Los Angeles arrest warrant.”

Read more on New York Times