dance to someone's tune
Do their bidding
To dance to someone's tune is to do what they want, following their lead or obeying their wishes.
The image is of a puppet or performer controlled by whoever plays the music: After the merger, the whole department danced to the new CEO's tune.
Often implies reluctant compliance or subservience.
- subservienceExcessive willingness to obey
- obedienceCompliance with authority
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
follow orders · servility · relationships · dominance · coercion · do as told · expectations · deference · conformity · yielding · dependency · puppet · exploitation · sway · peer influence · jump through hoops · hierarchy · control
dance to someone's tunemarch to one's own drum
Act independently of others
go one's own way · think for oneself · do one's own thing · stand on one's own two feet · rebel
dance to someone's tunecall the shots
Exercise ultimate authority
call the tune · pull the strings · run the show · hold the reins · wear the trousers
dance, dances, danced, dancing, dancer, dancers, someone, tuners, tuneful