Verb
stand on the shoulders of (third-person singular simple present stands on the shoulders of, present participle standing on the shoulders of, simple past and past participle stood on the shoulders of)
(idiomatic) To build on the previous works and gains of.
Genius may stand on the shoulders of giants, but it stands alone. Tom Robbins
Scientists are really very conscious of the fact that they stand on the shoulders of an enormous tree of preceding workers and that their own contribution is not so enormous. Martin Fleischmann
You Olympians, however, know you didn't get here solely on your own power. For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers, encouraged your hopes, coaches guided, communities built venues in order to organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who lifted them. Mitt Romney
Scientists do stand on the shoulders of giants, just as do writers. Conversely, in the arts we do make discoveries. We do refine our tools. So I am arguing with, or at least playing with, the idea that art never improves. Ian McEwan
I stand on the shoulders of countless people, yet there is one extraordinary person who is my life aspiration. That person is my mother, Celina Sotomayor. Sonia Sotomayor