coattail
Noun: 1. The loose back flap of a coat that hangs below the waist: Specifically, one of the two back panels of a formal coat, such as a tailcoat or morning coat, which are divided and extend downwards. 2. The influence or momentum of another, more successful person or thing: Used metaphorically to describe benefiting from the success or popularity of another.
Literal Meaning (Clothing):
- The gentleman's coattails flapped behind him as he hurried down the street.
- Traditional formal wear often features long coattails.
Figurative/Idiomatic Meaning (Influence):
- The lesser-known candidate hoped to win by riding the coattails of the popular presidential nominee.
- Many products enjoy success by riding the coattails of a major brand's advertising campaign.
- "to ride on someone's coattails": To achieve success primarily by associating with or benefiting from the success of another person.
- He wasn't very talented himself but managed to get promoted by riding on his boss's coattails.
- "coattail effect": In politics, the positive influence a popular candidate at the top of a ticket has on other candidates from the same party further down the ballot.
- The senator's landslide victory provided a strong coattail effect, helping several local candidates win their races.
- Coattails (noun, plural form): This is the most common form used for both literal and figurative meanings.
- Literal: He brushed the dust from his coattails.
- Figurative: She is tired of politicians trying to grab her coattails.
- For the literal meaning: Tail, flap, panel.
- For the figurative meaning: Coattails is often used as its own concept. Near-synonyms for the include: coattail effect, reflected glory, borrowed prestige, momentum.
The word has two distinct but connected meanings: 1. The primary, concrete meaning refers to a part of a garment. 2. The secondary, metaphorical meaning is derived from the image of literally holding onto someone's coattails to be pulled along. This idiom is almost always used in the plural form ("coattails").
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the loose back flap of a coat that hangs below the waist
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