second banana
A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He is tired of always being the second banana.”
“The lead actor was brilliant, but his partner played the second banana perfectly to keep the audience laughing.”
“Although he possessed immense talent, he spent his entire career as a second banana, forever supporting the stars who claimed the spotlight.”
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banana nose
A large, unusually long nose.
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banana republic
A small country, especially one in Central America or the West Indies, that is dependent on a single export commodity (traditionally bananas) and that has a corrupt, dictatorial government.
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go bananas
To get angry; to go mad.
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have one foot on a banana peel
To be in an unstable situation with a high risk of sudden negative change, facing difficulty, or appearing foolish.
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have second thoughts
To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.
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just a second
A short period of time, typically anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes or more.
- 07
make like a banana and split
To leave, depart.
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play second fiddle
To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
Last updated August 10, 2026