pale in comparison

knock out of the box

To cause something to be replaced by something else.

buy a dog and bark oneself

To do something that one has hired someone else to do.

see which way the cat jumps

To delay taking action based on the outcome of something else.

throw one's voice

to make one’s voice appear to come from somewhere else

otherwise engaged

busy doing something else

stepping stone

Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.