hymnsheet

sing from the same hymn sheet

To have the same understanding of something as someone else; to say the same things about something as other people, especially in public. Primarily heard in UK. I think we should have a meeting with everyone who's involved in the project. That way, we'll all be singing from the same hymn sheet before we begin. Make sure everyone from the campaign is singing from the same hymn sheet before we release any kind of statement to the press.
See also: hymn, same, sheet, sing

sing off the same hymn sheet

To have the same understanding of something as someone else; to say the same things about something as other people, especially in public. Primarily heard in UK. I think we should have a meeting with everyone who's involved in the project. That way, we'll all be singing off the same hymn sheet before we begin. Make sure everyone on the campaign is singing off the same hymn sheet before we release any kind of statement to the press.
See also: hymn, off, same, sheet, sing
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

sing from the same hymn sheet

or

sing from the same song sheet

BRITISH
If two or more people sing from the same hymn sheet or sing from the same song sheet, they express the same opinions about a subject in public. The important thing is to bring together the departments so that we're all singing from the same hymn sheet. As she and her husband deal with the latest scandal, they can at least be relied on to sing from the same song sheet.
See also: hymn, same, sheet, sing
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

sing from the same hymn (or song) sheet

present a united front in public by not disagreeing with one another. British informal
2000 South China Morning Post We're all singing from the same hymn sheet and there is a real will to clean up the game, though it may take a life ban to restore cricket's credibility.
See also: hymn, same, sheet, sing
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a ghost at the feast
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • a fast talker
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • (have) got something going (with someone)
  • a horse of another
  • a horse of another color
  • a horse of another colour
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
References in periodicals archive
"Everyone here is singing from the same hymnsheet and we knew that if we were to achieve our aims this season then we would have to stick together.
MY STANDARD BEARERS; Commitment and ability to play game the right way has been Lynch's lasting impression of title-winning campaign
"They have a lot of quality and they all sing off the same hymnsheet, but we also have a lot of threat within our own side and they'll know they're not in for an easy game against us."
Forward man Green joins the 100 Club; Callum's a centurion in big clash
So next time you see your MP on television, hear him/her on the radio, or in the newspaper, saying he or she cares about their constituents, don't believe a word they say, because they are all singing from the same hymnsheet, and the hymn they are singing is called Up Yours, I'm All Right Jack.
MPs don't care about our steelworkers
She's got the SFA and SPFL singing from her hymnsheet and has persuaded government to see football as less than the devil incarnate.
BIG INTERVIEW
"The fact that there's four of us gives us a stronger voice; we're working in tandem and all singing from the same hymnsheet.
Politicians in united bid at busy junctions; DANGER ZONES Highlighting 'horrendous' traffic problems
ROBERT ELSTONE understandably sparked a lot of interest among Evertonians with his comments that the club could look forward to a "busy and exciting summer with big investments" and it's great that the chief executive and manager seem to be singing from the same hymnsheet.
Elstone comments have rightly fired up Blue imaginations
He has another nine months on his contract and, after alienating many with his war of attrition playing style he is finally singing from a similar hymnsheet to the supporters.
Pulis at odds with chairman - and in tune with the fans
Defending is so much easier when everyone is singing off the same hymnsheet - and that's exactly what United have done recently.
Anita's been an unsung hero of Toon's great turnaround
As a 19th century poet Gerard Manley Hopkins never really set my heart racing but his namesake, a progressive son of Dubawi, has me singing off his hymnsheet in today's annual Doncaster showdown.
GM Hopkins passes the test; Gosden's Lincoln success is all in the genes Chatez is no talking horse
He wants to engender a good team spirit and wants everyone working hard and singing off the same hymnsheet - which is why Bent shouldn't have gone public.
Bent's wrong to challenge Villa gaffer so publicly; FORMER Wolves star Mel Eves is now managing director of Eleven Sports Management - leaders in performance development, who can offer the best tools and techniques to show you how to maximise your sporting potential. MEL EVES THE EX-WOLVES FAVOURITE, NOW A FOOTBALL AGENT, WRITES FOR MERCURY SPORT
So current moves make engineers' data easily accessible and newly relevant to other people, and add other people's data to the single system, forming a single hymnsheet that all can sing from.
We're all CAD users now: the much-heralded "democratisation" of 3D data, powered by cloud computing, is actually happening
Its purpose is to ensure that the plant does what the customers wanted, that the highest standards of quality and safety are achieved, and that everyone is singing from the same hymnsheet. And those are goals that apply to projects far wider than cleanrooms.
The good cleanroom guide: worldwide standards produced as "good manufacturing practice" guidelines have a lot of helpful hints for buyers and installers of cleanrooms
Okay, sometimes it is very difficult to get all constituencies on the same hymnsheet but I am proud of the fact that RFC has been a pretty good collective effort and we've managed to keep most people in the boat."
'We get a lot done for a million quid'
A choir serenaded Ferguson with a rendition of 'Happy Birthday to You' and the crowd joined in too, but the United team was not singing from the same hymnsheet.
ALEX GETS THE BUMPS; Birthday boy Ferguson hands out presents as Kean's underdogs gatecrash the party
HYMNSHEET receives the seal of approval in the Brother 141 Handicap at Kempton.
Sheet all set for Kempton