hang on (one's) coattails
hang on (one's) coattails
To benefit from one's success, especially in a sponging or freeloading manner; to use one's success as a means to achieve your own. Everyone knows you've been hanging on the governor's coattails for the last two years, but once her term ends you'll be on your own. Jonathan hung on the famous professor's coattails to get some recognition for his own work from several esteemed academic journals.
See also: coattail, hang, on
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- at doorstep
- at (one's) doorstep
- at will
- at (one's) expense
- at expense
- at somebody's expense
- at someone's expense
- be remembered as (something)
- be remembered as/for something
- be in (one's) good graces