Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
verb
To achieve social acceptance or financial success as a result of behaving in a benevolent or charitable manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
The origin is unknown; in use since the mid-20th century. Although the phrase is sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin, the earliest documented usage is from Tom Lehrer's 1953 novelty song "The Old Dope Peddler."
