Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

play second fiddle

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.42 in modern English

Syllables: play sec-ond -fid-dle
IPA

29

Scrabble Score

16

Letters

4

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"She had been mistress of the farm so long that it would be hard for her to play second fiddle, but give her time and she'd be as good as new butter and as nice as ninepence, he said."
"Christmas queen Mary Berry's aubergine five-nut roast, from her Christmas Collection, is, as the name suggests, rather more focused on the nut side of things. Breadcrumbs play second fiddle to a medley of almonds, Brazils, chestnuts, pine nuts and pistachios which, although tangy with lemon juice and garlic, is outrageously dense. A single slice of this could leave you supine in front of the Queen's speech without even the wherewithal to reach for the remote control."

Etymology

From the second violin in an orchestra.

Usage

Intransitive verb

Inflected Forms

plays second fiddle (present, singular) playing second fiddle (participle, present) played second fiddle (participle, past) played second fiddle (past)

Phrases

take a back seat

Frequently Paired Words

take a back seat

Questions

What does play second fiddle mean?: To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
Where does play second fiddle come from?: From the second violin in an orchestra.

How to pronounce play second fiddle

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