coattail

[koht-teyl] /ˈkoʊtˌteɪl/
noun
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, especially one of the tails on a tail coat.
adjective
3.
gained by association with another, especially with a successful or celebrated person:
coattail benefits.
Idioms
4.
on someone's coattails, aided by association with another person:
The senator rode into office on the president's coattails.
5.
on the coattails of, immediately after or as a result of:
His decline in popularity followed on the coattails of the scandal.
Origin
1590-1600; coat + tail1
Slang definitions & phrases for on someone's coattails

on someone's coattails

adverb phrase

Profiting from someone else's success, esp in a decisive election: when all these rube politicians come riding in on Reagan's coattails

[1909+; Abraham Lincoln used under that coattail in the same sense in 1848, referring to the winning influence of Andrew Jackson]


coattail

modifier

Based on another person's achievement or quality; derivative: But the Sephardim are not likely to remain contented with coattail power for long

verb

To keep the same musical tempo: You're still keeping the same time. We called it coattailing (1950s+ Musicians)

Related Terms

on someone's coattails


Idioms and Phrases with on someone's coattails

on someone's coattails

Also, on the coattails of. Owing to another person's popularity or merits. For example, He won the cabinet post by hanging on the senator's coattails, or He was elected to office on the coattails of the governor. This expression, with its graphic image, dates from the mid-1800s, when coats with tails were in fashion.