To join others in supporting a popular trend, cause, or activity, especially when doing so seems advantageous or fashionable.
This phrase comes from 19th-century American politics when political candidates would literally travel on decorated wagons with bands playing music to attract crowds. Supporters would "jump on the bandwagon" to show their allegiance and be part of the spectacle. The phrase became metaphorical by the early 1900s.
The original bandwagons were such effective marketing tools that they created their own momentum - the more people who jumped on, the more attractive it became for others to join. This perfectly captures how social movements and trends can become self-reinforcing through visible participation.
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