steal someone's thunder

steal someone's thunder
steal someone's thunder
1. To make use of another's invention against him or her (as when John Dennis's stage thunder was used in a rival's play)
2. To rob someone of the opportunity of achieving a sensational effect by forestalling him or her
• • •
Main Entry:steal
————————
steal someone's thunder see under ↑steal1
• • •
Main Entry:thunder

* * *

steal someone’s thunder phrase
to get attention and praise for doing something that someone else had planned to do

Senator Johnson accused the President of stealing his thunder on the tax issue.

Thesaurus: to do something before someone elsesynonym
Main entry: steal

* * *

I
win praise for oneself by preempting someone else's attempt to impress
II
see steal

* * *

steal someone's thunder — see thunder, 1
• • •
Main Entry:steal
————————
steal someone's thunder
: to prevent someone from having success or getting a lot of attention, praise, etc., by doing or saying whatever that person was planning to do or say

I didn't mean to steal your thunder, but I just had to tell your mom about your promotion.

• • •
Main Entry:thunder

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • steal someone's thunder — steal (someone s) thunder to do something that takes attention away from what someone else has done. I kept quiet about my pregnancy because Cathy was getting married, and I didn t want to steal her thunder …   New idioms dictionary

  • steal someone's thunder — If someone steals your thunder, they take the credit and praise for something you did …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • steal someone's thunder — ► steal someone s thunder win praise or attention for oneself by pre empting someone else s attempt to impress. Main Entry: ↑steal …   English terms dictionary

  • steal someone's thunder —    If someone steals your thunder, they take the credit and praise for something you did.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    If you steal someone s thunder you take their idea or plan and draw attention and praise away from them by… …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • steal someone's thunder — idi steal someone s thunder a) to accept credit for another s work; to misappropriate the ideas or inventions of another b) to detract from another s achievement by some action that anticipates or overshadows it; to spoil the effect of another s… …   From formal English to slang

  • steal someone's thunder — win praise or attention for oneself by pre empting someone else s attempt to impress. → steal …   English new terms dictionary

  • steal someone's thunder — to get attention and praise for doing something that someone else had planned to do Senator Johnson accused the President of stealing his thunder on the tax issue …   English dictionary

  • Steal someone's thunder —   If someone steals your thunder, they take the credit and praise for something you did …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • steal — ► VERB (past stole; past part. stolen) 1) take (something) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it. 2) give or take surreptitiously or without permission: I stole a look at my watch. 3) move somewhere quietly or… …   English terms dictionary

  • steal thunder — steal (someone s) thunder to do something that takes attention away from what someone else has done. I kept quiet about my pregnancy because Cathy was getting married, and I didn t want to steal her thunder …   New idioms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”