play second fiddle
to be less important than someone or something
TRANSLATION
play second fiddle = die zweite Geige spielen --- GOOGLE INDEX play second fiddle: approximately 1,700,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Webber's ambitions PLAY SECOND FIDDLE to Vettel
(Reuters news service))
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So far no one has come along who shows signs of PLAYING A STRONG SECOND FIDDLE to Apple in that (tablet PC) market, so why not Amazon?
(BusinessWeek magazine)
(Reuters news service))
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So far no one has come along who shows signs of PLAYING A STRONG SECOND FIDDLE to Apple in that (tablet PC) market, so why not Amazon?
(BusinessWeek magazine)
Did you
know?
play second fiddle
idiom
- to be less important or in a weaker position than someone else
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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The expression to play second fiddle can be used in a wide variety of contexts and means to be less important or less powerful than someone else. Unsurprisingly, the expression is generally believed to have its origins in the world of music. In orchestras the most prominent and high profile member of the orchestra is the musician who plays the lead (or first) violin.
Naturally, there are also other violinists in the string section of the orchestra but they are not as important or honoured as the lead violinist. These other violinists became known as second fiddles and the expression has now become firmly established in the language.
The etymology of the word "fiddle" is a mystery. It is related to the Dutch "vedel" and the German "Fiedel" (meanwhile outdated). Fiddle may stem from the Latin "vitula," meaning stringed instrument, which could be related to "vitularia," to celebrate joyfully, which in turn is from "Vitula," the Roman goddess of joy and victory.
Fiddle is both a noun and a verb, with the noun being synonymous with "violin," the modern word for this stringed instrument. Although fiddle and violin describe the same instrument, fiddle is normally used when discussing folk music, such as Celtic or American country and western and bluegrass. When played in an orchestra, the fiddle then becomes a violin.
(sources: OneStopEnglish, Online Etymology Dictionary)
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SYNONYMS
to take a back seat
to be a: benchwarmer, low man on the totem pole, second banana, second string
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"He resigned and started his own company because he doesn't like playing second fiddle to anyone."
idiom
- to be less important or in a weaker position than someone else
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
The expression to play second fiddle can be used in a wide variety of contexts and means to be less important or less powerful than someone else. Unsurprisingly, the expression is generally believed to have its origins in the world of music. In orchestras the most prominent and high profile member of the orchestra is the musician who plays the lead (or first) violin.
Naturally, there are also other violinists in the string section of the orchestra but they are not as important or honoured as the lead violinist. These other violinists became known as second fiddles and the expression has now become firmly established in the language.
The etymology of the word "fiddle" is a mystery. It is related to the Dutch "vedel" and the German "Fiedel" (meanwhile outdated). Fiddle may stem from the Latin "vitula," meaning stringed instrument, which could be related to "vitularia," to celebrate joyfully, which in turn is from "Vitula," the Roman goddess of joy and victory.
Fiddle is both a noun and a verb, with the noun being synonymous with "violin," the modern word for this stringed instrument. Although fiddle and violin describe the same instrument, fiddle is normally used when discussing folk music, such as Celtic or American country and western and bluegrass. When played in an orchestra, the fiddle then becomes a violin.
(sources: OneStopEnglish, Online Etymology Dictionary)
---
SYNONYMS
to take a back seat
to be a: benchwarmer, low man on the totem pole, second banana, second string
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"He resigned and started his own company because he doesn't like playing second fiddle to anyone."
