hard act to follow
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Originally referring to an outstandingly successful vaudeville act.
Noun[edit]
hard act to follow (plural hard acts to follow)
- A performance that is so outstanding that it is unlikely to be equalled.
Synonyms[edit]
References[edit]
- Eric Partridge (1992) “act to follow”, in A Dictionary of Catch Phrases, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 1: “Originally, and probably before 1920, referring to an outstandingly successful vaudeville act which might well cast a shade over the following act, but since at least 1930, applied to any outstanding performance or especially able person.”