bear the bell
To lead. The phrase alludes to the practice of having the leading farm animal in a flock wear a bell. I'll bear the bell then—come on, everyone, follow me! Sophie always seems to bear the bell in daycare. All the other kids want to do whatever she's doing! You can bear the bell, sure, but good luck getting any of these fools to fall in line behind you.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.