jump on the bandwagon

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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US 1899. A bandwagon carried the musicians at the head of a parade or at a political rally, beckoning others to follow. When used to refer to politics, jumping on the bandwagon suggests following the crowd for the excitement of the event rather than any firm conviction in its direction or truthfulness. The phrase is first attested in a letter by Theodore Roosevelt in 1899:[1]

When I once became sure of one majority they rumbled over each other to get aboard the band wagon.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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jump on the bandwagon (third-person singular simple present jumps on the bandwagon, present participle jumping on the bandwagon, simple past and past participle jumped on the bandwagon)

  1. (idiomatic) To profit from a craze; to join a trend.
    After the incredible success of Wonka's latest low-fat chocolate bar, Fickelgruber has jumped on the bandwagon, and released a low-fat version.

Translations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ bandwagon, jump on the”, Wordorigins.org, Dave Wilton, Saturday, April 08, 2006.