- on someone's coattails
- benefiting from another's success, sometimes undeservedly
he was elected on the coattails of his predecessor
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
on someone's coattails
Look at other dictionaries:
ride someone's coattails — ride (someone s) coattails to use your connection with someone successful to achieve success yourself. I don t think she would get promoted without riding her boss s coattails. My opponent is riding the coattails of the popular governor of… … New idioms dictionary
on someone's coattails — idi on someone s coattails, aided by association with another person: The senator rode into office on the President s coattails[/ex] … From formal English to slang
coattails — also coat tail, c.1600, from COAT (Cf. coat) + TAIL (Cf. tail). In 17c., to do something on one s own coattail meant at one s own expense. Meaning power of one person, especially in politics, is from 1848 (in a Congressional speech by Abraham… … Etymology dictionary
coattails — noun (plural) 1 (ride/hang) on sb s coattails if you achieve something on someone s coattails, you achieve it with the help or influence of someone powerful: A number of Republican congressmen were elected on Reagan s coattails. 2 the cloth at… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
coattails — coat|tails [ˈkəut teılz US ˈkout ] n [plural] 1.) if you achieve something on someone s coattails, you achieve it because of the other person s power or success on sb s coattails ▪ A number of Republican congressmen were elected on Bush s… … Dictionary of contemporary English
coattails — coat|tails [ kout,teılz ] noun plural the two long pieces that form the bottom part of the back of a man s formal jacket on someone s coattails using someone else s success to get an advantage for yourself … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
ride coattails — ride (someone s) coattails to use your connection with someone successful to achieve success yourself. I don t think she would get promoted without riding her boss s coattails. My opponent is riding the coattails of the popular governor of… … New idioms dictionary
ride coattails — If you use your connections with someone successful in order to achieve fame or success for yourself, without any personal effort, youride their coattails. He rode his uncle s coattails in the hope of being elected … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
coattail — /koht tayl /, n. 1. the back of the skirt on a man s coat or jacket. 2. one of the two back parts of the skirt of a coat, esp. one of the tails on a tail coat. 3. on someone s coattails, aided by association with another person: The senator rode… … Universalium
coattail — [kōt′tāl΄] n. the back part of a coat below the waist; esp., either half of this part when divided, as on a swallow tailed coat ☆ ride on someone s coattails or hang on someone s coattails to have one s success dependent on that of someone else … English World dictionary
