ride the coattails
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Verb edit
ride the coattails (third-person singular simple present rides the coattails, present participle riding the coattails, simple past rode the coattails, past participle ridden the coattails) [+ of (object)]
- (idiomatic) To succeed by virtue of association (with).
- 2010, Robin Speziale, Lessons from the Successful Investor[1], page 53:
- Further, some investors ride the coattails of investor giants, such as Warren Buffett, meaning they would frequently invest in the stocks Buffet invested in.
- 2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 251:
- He had the reputation of a wannabe hardman, riding his cousin's coattails.