when (something) sneezes, (something else) catches a cold
(redirected from catches a cold)Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia.
when (something) sneezes, (something else) catches a cold
When a person, group, or entity has a problem or experiences a negative situation, a related person, group, or entity will consequently have a worse problem or will experience a more negative situation. When Paris sneezes, Europe catches a cold. Terrorism in France affects security throughout the continent.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
when the US/UK/China, etc. sneezes, Japan/Germany, etc. catches cold
orwhen the US/UK/China, etc. sneezes, Japan/Germany, etc. catches a cold
mainly BRITISHIf you say that when a particular country sneezes, another catches cold, or catches a cold, you mean that what happens to the first country has a great effect or influence on the second. And when the American economy sneezes, the City of London catches cold. As they say, when America sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
when A ˈsneezes, B catches a ˈcold
(also if A catches a ˈcold, B gets pneuˈmonia less frequent) if one person, organization, country, etc. has a problem, the effects of this on another person, organization or country are much more serious: When Wall Street sneezes, the world catches a cold.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
- if (something) catches a cold, (something else) gets pneumonia
- if (something) sneezes, (something else) catches a cold
- pneumonia
- UK
- when (something) catches a cold, (something else) gets pneumonia
- when A sneezes, B catches a cold
- when the US/UK/China, etc. sneezes, Japan/Germany, etc. catches cold
- an insult to one is an insult to all
- best of a bad bunch
- best of a bad lot