keep up with the Joneses en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Various theories; see Wikipedia article.
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) To act or make purchases for status or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends, neighbors, or society.
Nor is it good for the name of the railway industry that skilled men should have to put in so much overtime to keep up financially with the Joneses in other walks of life.
1962 February, “Talking of Trains: Signalmen's rewards”, in Modern Railways, page 82:Do you really need a fancy new car or are you just trying to keep up with the Joneses?
One of the greatest pitfalls in the path of any young couple is the feeling that they must "keep up with the Joneses." We all think of ourselves as belonging to a certain social group—whether we express it in snobbish terms or not.
1938, William F. Bigelow, editor, The Good Housekeeping Marriage Book, page 74:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| kept up with the Joneses | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| kept up with the Joneses | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| keeping up with the Joneses | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| keeps up with the Joneses | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Relateds
status symbol · conspicuous consumption · peer pressure
Translations (5)
cmn 爭相攀比 /争相攀比 (act or make purchases for status or image) · fi olla mukana elintasokilpailussa (act or make purchases for status or image) · tyz bì (act or make purchases for status or image) · cmn 互相攀比 (act or make purchases for status or image) · vi so bì (act or make purchases for status or image)