to cross the aisle
1
6.5
- idiom
- Literature
:
cruzar al otro lado
- No Republicans opposed the bill, and just five Democrats crossed the aisle to vote in favor.
Examples
-
The regime has also dangled money before MPs and local government officials to "cross the aisle."
Academic text (1994) -
In fact, I'll say that this could be one of those issues that might cross the aisle as it's so far outside the standard fields of contention.
Blog text (18) -
Others, including the current administration, have not chosen to cross the aisle for consensus.
Blog text (33) -
If we expect our leaders to "cross the aisle," don't we have to do the same thing?
Blog text (14) -
She can't even cross the aisle to vote with moderate Republicans.
Blog text (14) -
The historic 2011 legalization of gay marriage in New York ended up having major consequences for three of the four state Senate Republicans who crossed the aisle and backed the bill.
Blog text (1) -
Another former Republican who will cross the aisle in 2012 because of Senate Bill 5 is Ohio firefighter Doug Stern, who went from voting for the GOP his whole life to speaking at the Democratic National Convention last week.
Blog text (28) -
Because crossing the aisle requires subjecting oneself to another election, it is rumored that a five-year MP salary is guaranteed in case of defeat.
Academic text (1994) -
A staunch Republican and an endorser of presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Christie has crossed the aisle this week and praised President Barack Obama for his support:
Blog text (21) -
To pass the new education bill, a few Republican senators agreed to cross the aisle and work with the Democrats.
Synonyms
1
4.0
Support one person or group in a disagreement
How Cooperative
12
4.0
- Literature
1
6.5
728
2.7
947
1.0
∞
1.0
∞
2.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal meanings of 'cross' (move from one side to another) and 'aisle' (a walkway between sides) make the metaphor of moving to the other side understandable, but the political sense of cooperating with the opposing party is a domain-specific metaphorical extension. This political usage is not fully predictable from the parts for an average B1 learner without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Cross the aisle comes from the simple picture of a meeting room or parliament where people sit on two sides with a narrow aisle between them. If a politician crosses this space to join or vote with the other side, it shows they will 'cooperate' or 'support' the opposing party, so the phrase means to work with the other side.