Follow Suit 🤹♂️
Meaning: To imitate someone; to follow someone’s example.
Origin: The expression “follow suit” hails from card games such as whist or bridge. In these games, players must play a card of the same suit that was led. This term was literally spelled out in Charles Cotton’s The Complete Gamester (1680), but shifted into more figurative use over time. Herman Melville included it in Moby-Dick (1851): “I quickly followed suit and descending into the bar-room accosted the grinning landlord.”
Synonyms:
- Copycat
- Mimic
- Emulate
- Mirror
- Ape
Antonyms:
- Deviate
- Lead
- Create
- Innovate
- Pioneer
Related Terms, Proverbs, and Expressions:
- “Monkey see, monkey do”
- “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”
- “To take a leaf out of someone’s book”
- “Copy one’s style”
- “Jump on the bandwagon”
Humor-filled Quotes:
- “To follow suit or not to follow suit, that is the predicament of every card-shuffler!” –The Whimsical Card Dealer
- “In a world full of trends, be a classic. But also, following suit once won’t hurt, right?” –The Trendy Chameleon
Literature and Media References:
- Books:
- Life: A User’s Manual by Georges Perec (1978) – Each chapter can be seen as ‘following suit’ in building a comprehensive narrative jigsaw.
- Songs:
- “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers (1972) – A great example of offering to follow someone’s lead during times of need.
- Movies:
- The Imitation Game (2014) – Shows both the literal and figurative aspects of following suit in strategy and innovation.
- Poetry:
- “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley (1875) – While a reminder to be master of your fate, sometimes, we “follow suit” to gain courage.
Farewell Thought:
“In every ace shuffled into the deck of life, sometimes ‘following suit’ teaches us the rules, allows us to innovate, and lets us carve out our niche because we’ve mastered the basics. Keep playing your cards right!”
