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UKfriend at / in court
/fɹˈɛnd at ɪn kˈɔːt/
/fɹˈɛnd æt ɪn kˈoːɹt/friend at / in court
[PHRASE]
![[friend] (at|in) court definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/40571/original/ "[friend] (at|in) court definition and meaning")
What is the origin of the idiom "friend at court" and when to use it?
The term "friend at court" is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages, when people would often seek the help of powerful nobles or clergymen to get their way. This was especially true in the court of the king, where having a friend who could speak on your behalf could be the difference between success and failure. The phrase "friend at court" has been used in many different contexts over the years. It can be used to describe someone who has a connection to someone in power, or it can be used to describe someone who is able to use their influence to get what they want.
Examples
1. The politician's friend in court helped him secure the nomination, and he was able to win the election with their support.
2. If the company faces legal trouble, having a friend at court with the judge could make a significant difference in the outcome.
3. He was shrewd enough to see that the king had influential friends at court, particularly the mother of the sultan and the Crimean Khan, Devlet II Giray.
4. Some time after, asking a friend at court how they came to fix on that determinate number, he told me that his majesty’s mathematicians, having taken the height of my body by the help of a quadrant, and finding it to exceed theirs in the proportion of twelve to one, they concluded from the similarity of their bodies, that mine must contain 1728 of theirs, and consequently would require as much food as was necessary to support that number of Lilliputians.
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