to play in Peoria
1
9.1
- idiom
- /pleɪ ɪn pɪˈɔːriə/
- Informal
:
tener éxito en lugares comunes
- "The Dirty Dirty," so maybe it would play in Peoria.
Examples
-
And, and they used to say if it'll play in Peoria, it'll play anywhere.
-
Their standard is "would this play in Peoria?" (as in Peoria, IL).
Blog text (6) -
How do you think this will play in Peoria?
Blog text (12) -
How will it play in Peoria?
Blog text (29) -
Will a highly technical argument play in Peoria?
Academic text (1998) -
I have to tell you, "It won't play in Peoria."
Blog text (7) -
The debate quickly turns to such cosmic questions as whether the chair of the relevant congressional subcommittee would support the policy, which interest groups would be for it and against it, and how it would play in Peoria.
Academic text (1999) -
Of course, deep down everyone knows if it weren't for fancy studies, the polluters would have buried us by now under all their garbage, but it plays in Peoria.
Fiction book (1999) -
Many filmmakers ask if their new movie will play in Peoria before releasing it.
-
The comedian's jokes were tailored to play in Peoria, appealing to everyday experiences.
Antonyms
How Mainstream
2
4.1
1
4.1
1
3.9
- Informal
1
9.1
1
6.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although the words 'play', 'in', and 'Peoria' literally suggest performing in a specific city, the idiomatic sense 'to succeed with mainstream/ordinary audiences' rests on a cultural reference to Peoria as a symbol of mainstream America. This pragmatic, culture-specific meaning is not predictable from the constituents and would not be inferable by a B1 learner who only knows the literal words.
Etymology
The idiom play in Peoria comes from old traveling shows. One popular story says Peoria, Illinois, was seen as a typical American town where performers tried new acts, and if a play did well there it would 'play' for ordinary audiences elsewhere. That's why today play in Peoria means to be 'accepted' or to 'succeed' with ordinary people.