friend in court

Idioms

Also, friends in high places. A person or persons who can help by virtue of their important position. For example, With a friend in court, he has a good chance of getting the contract, or Jim thinks he can get out of paying the fine; he has friends in high places. This expression alludes to the power of a person at the royal court. With the decline of monarchies, high places came into more common use. [c. 1400]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The unions may have a friend in court.

From Time Magazine Archive

For one thing, he won for his cause a powerful friend in court: the Justice Department.

From Time Magazine Archive

We had a friend in court, but she was dumb, and I must give her voice.

From Under the Andes by Stout, Rex

Because she may be very useful to us, Ronald; and if you can't find a friend in court, it's just as well to have one near court.

From Bonnie Prince Charlie : a Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

Thereupon Chunder, perceiving that he had lost his friend in court, magnanimously said: "I cannot fight an antagonist who is unprovided with a seconder, and will wait until Mr Bodgers is recuperated."

From A Bayard From Bengal Being some account of the Magnificent and Spanking Career of Chunder Bindabun Bhosh,... by Jabberjee, Hurry Bungsho

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023