steal a march
Get ahead secretly
To steal a march is to gain an advantage over a competitor by acting secretly or before they're aware.
The phrase comes from military maneuvers—moving troops while the enemy sleeps.
The startup stole a march on established firms by filing patents first.
She stole a march on her colleagues by submitting her proposal early.
Initial competitive advantage
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
- upper handPosition of control
- leadDense metal, symbol Pb
- jumpPropel oneself airborne
preemptive · outpace · beat to the punch · get ahead · forestall · anticipate · preempt · first-mover
headstart
Initial competitive advantage
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
- upper handPosition of control
- leadDense metal, symbol Pb
jump · preemptive · outpace · beat to the punch · get ahead · forestall · anticipate · preempt · first-mover · initiative
outmaneuver
Defeat through superior tactics
deception · covert · subterfuge · tactical · maneuver · diversion · cunning · sly · shrewd · calculated
steal a marchfall behind
Fail to maintain pace
lose ground · lag behind · play catch-up · miss the boat · drop the ball
steal a marchplay fair
Act honestly in competition
play by the rules · show one's hand · lay one's cards on the table · tip one's hand · play it straight
steal a marchfollow the leader
Imitation game for children
react · wait and see · rest on one's laurels · sit on one's hands · drag one's feet
steal, steals, stealing, stolen, stealer, stealthy, stealth, stealthily, march