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make one's mark

Idioms  
  1. Achieve distinction, as in Terry soon made his mark as an organist. This expression transfers a written or printed symbol to a strong impression. [Mid-1800s] Also see make a name for oneself.


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.

X is also the traditional signature of an illiterate, so it is both precise and general: anyone can use it to make one’s mark.

From The New Yorker

"It tends to feed this notion of infamy seeking - and a desire to make one's mark in history," he says.

From BBC

But it is sometimes a little difficult to make one’s mark, isn’t it?

From Project Gutenberg

There I shall have a position and an object; and one may be of some use, and make one's mark in a new country.

From Project Gutenberg