Other forms: followed suit; following suit; follows suit
To follow suit is to imitate someone or follow their example. If you start donating to a local charity every month, your friends may follow suit and start contributing regularly, too.
The phrase follow suit originated with card games, in which there are four suits: diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs. When your Crazy Eights opponent lays down a Jack of diamonds you must play a Jack, a wild card — or follow suit by playing a diamond. This literal meaning evolved into the figurative one meaning "follow the example of." You may not think of yourself as a dancer, but if all the other wedding guests form a conga line on the dance floor, you'll probably follow suit and join them!