Idiom
play first fiddle
Meaning
To play a leading role.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“She always wants to play first fiddle in every project.”
“In this new company, he is tired of being an assistant and wants to play first fiddle for once.”
“Although he was the most experienced member of the team, he was content to let his younger colleague play first fiddle during the high-stakes presentation.”
Examples
simple
“She always wants to play first fiddle in every project.”
contextual
“In this new company, he is tired of being an assistant and wants to play first fiddle for once.”
complex
“Although he was the most experienced member of the team, he was content to let his younger colleague play first fiddle during the high-stakes presentation.”
Origin
From the role of the lead violinist in an orchestra, who typically performs the melodic lines and most demanding solos. In the hierarchy of a musical ensemble, the first fiddle maintains prominence over the second.
Key words
Related idioms
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