march to a different beat
march to a different beat
To do something, act, or behave in a manner that does not conform to the standard, prevalent, or popular societal norm. My brother's eschewed the idea of a full-time career and has had every oddball job you could think of, but then he's always been happy marching to a different beat. Look, I respect the fact that you like to march to a different beat, but do you have to make a point of doing everything in a contrarian way?
See also: beat, different, march
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
march to a different beat
Also, march to a different drummer. Act independently, differ in conduct or ideas from most others, as in Joe wanted to be married on a mountain top-he always marches to a different beat, or Sarah has her own ideas for the campaign; she marches to a different drummer. This idiom, alluding to being out of step in a parade, is a version of Henry David Thoreau's statement in Walden (1854): "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer." It came into wide use in the mid-1900s.
See also: beat, different, march
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- march
- march to (one's) own beat
- march to (the beat of) (one's) own drum
- march to (the beat of) a different drum
- march to (the beat of) a different tune
- march to a different tune
- drummer
- march to a different drummer
- march to a different drummer/drum
- march to (the beat of) a different drummer