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Phrases related to: play first fiddle Page #9

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sham AbrahamTo pretend sickness or insanity. {{First attested in the late 18 century.}}Rate it:

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sham AbramAlternative form of sham Abraham. [First attested in the late 18 century.]Rate it:

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shipping them greenWhen a ship is heading into waves, its bow will sometimes plunge into the onrushing wave. At first, spray will break over the bow, but as the height of the waves increases, the bow will plunge deeper into the wave, and instead of spray, unbroken green water will pour onto the Fo'c'sle and decks. Hence the seafarer's expression "Shipping them green", implying worsening weather, or, by extension, a worsening and/or dangerous or unsatisfactory situation.Rate it:

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shoot first and ask questions laterTo act boldly.Rate it:

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shoot first and ask questions laterTo take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.Rate it:

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shoot oneself in the footTo deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.Rate it:

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short-sheetTo play a prank by folding someone's bed sheets to make the space for lying in the bed unusably short.Rate it:

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shotgunA play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.Rate it:

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skate one's laneTo play in one's assigned position rather than straying to where the current action is.Rate it:

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skip ropeTo jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.Rate it:

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skive offTo skive; to play truant; to slack off.Rate it:

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skreigh o' dayday break, first lightRate it:

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slap and tickleMild or playful kissing, cuddling, and other amorous play.Rate it:

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slip inTo play a subtle pass into someone in a goalscoring position.Rate it:

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spear carrierA person in a play or movie with a minimal part; an extra.Rate it:

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stack offTo play an all in pot; to commit all of one's chips to a pot.Rate it:

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stand patTo play one's hand without drawing any more cards.Rate it:

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star vehicleA movie, play, TV series, or other production that enhances an actor's career.Rate it:

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start a familyTo conceive one's first childRate it:

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stay wokeFirst used by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter in a 1938 interview afterword of his song Scottsboro Boys-named for nine Black teenagers and young men falsely accused of raping two white women in Alabama in 1931. Lead Belly knew the Scottsboro boys, and urged Black listeners and Black persons traveling through that area in Alabama to "Stay Woke" (be vigilant, cautious, and alert) in the spoken afterword to the song. Lead Belly's direct relative, Global Activist and Equality Advocate Greshun De Bouse began the #STAYWOKELEADBELLY movement to acknowledge the phrase's origin, and redefine its present-day meaning as a more generalized, all-inclusive phrase admonishing all to be cognizant of past, present, and future world occurrences.Rate it:

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take the leadTo become the leader, to advance into first place.Rate it:

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team playerAn individual who is known to work or play well as a member of a team and put team goals before personal gain.Rate it:

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tee offTo hit the first shot of the hole.Rate it:

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telephone tagA situation in which a person unsuccessfully attempts to contact another person by telephone and leaves a message instead, and in which the second person then unsuccessfully attempts to return the initial call and leaves a message for the first person, and so on as if the two are playing a game of tag in which the most recent person to have been left with a message is now designated as "it" (i.e. as the player now obliged to chase the other and to attempt anew to make contact).Rate it:

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the early bird gets the wormWhoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.Rate it:

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third stringA unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.Rate it:

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tibias inflareto play the flute.Rate it:

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tibiis or tibiā canereto play the flute.Rate it:

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tickle the ivoriesTo play the piano.Rate it:

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tickle the ivoryto play the pianoRate it:

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Tinker to Evers to ChanceA famous baseball infield double-play combination.Rate it:

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tirez le rideau, la farce est jouéeRing down the curtain, the play is over.Rate it:

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toy withPlay, esp. with or as with a toy.Rate it:

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trancher du grand seigneurTo try and play the lord.Rate it:

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try to get on first!An encouraging expression to others to attempt a seemingly impossible task. The leader asks the crew to give it their best and try the "baseball theme".Rate it:

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tu n'en auras pas l'étrenneYou will not be the first to use it.Rate it:

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turn about is fair playMy business partner came up to Me the week before Halloween to notify that he was leaving for two weeks in Florida 'cause is wife was tired.Rate it:

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turn twoTo complete a double play.Rate it:

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turnabout is fair playIt is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.Rate it:

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two can play at that gameAlternative form of two can play that gameRate it:

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two can play that gameThe tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.Rate it:

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two can play this gameAlternative form of two can play that gameRate it:

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un brave à trois poilsThe bravest of the brave; A hero of the first water.Rate it:

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under the gunThe first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.Rate it:

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vectigalia exercere (vid. sect. V. 7, note The first...)to collect the taxes.Rate it:

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vocabulum, verbum, nomen ducere ab, ex...to form, derive a word from... (used of the man who first creates the word).Rate it:

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vous avez la mainIt’s your turn to play (at cards).Rate it:

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vous avez le déIt’s your turn to play (at dice).Rate it:

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what was your first clueA riposte to someone who has just stated an obvious conclusion.Rate it:

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when the cat's away the mice will playIn the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.Rate it:

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