be sidelined; be cold-shouldered; do tedious work
Meanings
3 senses · 7 examplesidiom
to be assigned to an idle position due to lack of recognition; to be sidelined
Often used to describe competent people who are marginalized in organizations due to politics or lack of connections.
He is highly capable, but has been sidelined for years because he doesn't know how to please his superiors.
This senior editor was transferred to a nominal position and can only sit on the bench.
idiom
to be cold-shouldered for a long time; to be neglected or ignored
Can describe social situations where someone is ignored or excluded from activities.
New players can only warm the bench on the team and rarely get a chance to play.
Don't leave me sitting here in the cold; quickly tell me what to do.
idiom
to do lonely and hard work for a long time; to persevere in obscurity
literaryOften used positively to describe scholars, researchers, or artists who persist in their work despite lack of recognition or material rewards.
Doing academic research requires the ability to sit on a cold bench and endure loneliness.
He sat on the cold bench in a remote area for ten years, training batches of students.
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True scholars are willing to work in obscurity and do not pursue empty fame.