win (redirected from earning spurs)

*all the marbles

Fig. all the winnings, spoils, or rewards. (*Typically: end up with ~; get ~; win ~; give someone ~.) Somehow Fred always seems to end up with all the marbles. I don't think he plays fair.

See also: marble

(You) can't win them all. and (You) can't win 'em all.

Inf. a catch phrase said when someone, including the speaker, has lost in a contest or failed at something. (The you is impersonal, meaning one, anyone. The apostrophe on 'em is not always used.) Mary: Gee, I came in last again! Jane: Oh, well. You can't win them all. "Can't win 'em all," muttered Alice as she left the boss's office with nothing accomplished.

See also: them

carry the day and win the day

to be successful; to win a competition, argument, etc. (Originally meaning to win a battle.) Our team didn't play well at first, but we won the day in the end. Preparation won the day and James passed his exams.

See also: carry, day

earn one's spurs

Fig. to prove oneself. After that rodeo, all the cowboys agreed that Sally had earned her spurs. He felt that he had earned his spurs when he received his Ph.D.

See also: earn, spur

He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin.

Prov. If you want to marry a woman, you should find a way to impress her mother, so that the mother will favor her marrying you. Harry: I think I want to marry Gina. Bill: Don't propose to her until you're sure her mother is on your side. He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin.

See also: begin, daughter, first, mother, must

no-win situation

a situation where there is no correct or satisfactory solution. The general was too weak to fight and too proud to surrender. It was a no-win situation. The huge dog my father gave us as a gift eats too much. If we get rid of the dog, my father will be insulted. If we keep it, we will go broke buying food for it. This is a classic no-win situation.

See also: situation

not going to win any beauty contests

Fig. homely; ugly. Fred isn't going to win any beauty contests, but he's smart and considerate and he does well at his job. This old truck of mine is not going to win any beauty contests, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

See also: any, beauty, contest, going

out to win

determined to win. Bobby is out to win at all costs! He can't face losing.

See also: out

slow and steady wins the race

Prov. If you work slowly but constantly, you will succeed better than if you work fast for a short while and do not continue. (Associated with Aesop's fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare.") Joy only had a little bit of time to spend sewing every day, but she worked steadily and soon had finished a beautiful quilt. Slow and steady wins the race.

See also: and, race, slow, steady

win (out) (over someone or something)

to defeat someone or something. I hope our team wins out over you guys. Good teamwork always wins out.

win someone or something back (from someone or something)

to regain someone or something from someone or something. I hope to win the money I lost back from the other poker players. We were not able to win Sally back from the cult. We won back everything. We won back Sally.

See also: back

win someone's heart and win the heart of someone

Fig. to gain the affection of someone; to win the love of someone exclusively. I hope to win her heart and make her my bride.

See also: heart

win someone away (from someone or something)

to convince someone to dissociate from someone or something. We were not able to win Christine away from her strange ideas. We tried to win her away but failed.

See also: away

win someone over (to something)

to succeed in making someone favorable to something. I hope I can win them all over to our side. I won over the mayor to our side.

win something at something

to win a prize in some sort of competition. I won this silly doll at the ring-toss game. Did you win anything at the fair?

Win a few, lose a few.

Sometimes one succeeds, and sometimes one fails. Tom: Well, I lost out on that Wilson contract, but I got the Jones job. Sally: That's life. Win a few, lose a few. "Win a few, lose a few," said Fred, staring at yesterday's stock prices.

See also: few, lose

win at something

to triumph at some competition. Will I ever be able to win at golf? She always wins at poker.

win by a nose

Fig. to win by the slightest amount of difference. (Can be literal in horses races.) I ran the fastest race I could, but I only won by a nose. Sally won the race, but she only won by a nose.

See also: nose

win through something

to succeed by a certain method or procedure. Winning is no good if you have to win through dishonesty. Sally won through her own hard work.

See also: through

You win some, you lose some. and You win a few, you lose a few.

Prov. Cliché You cannot always succeed. (You can say this when you have not succeeded, to show that you are not discouraged.) Jill: I was sorry to hear that you didn't win your court case. Jane: Well, you win some, you lose some. Bill: I thought it was terrible that you didn't get a prize in the art contest. Bob: You win a few, you lose a few.

See also: lose, some

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a no-win situation

a difficult situation in which whatever happens the result will be bad for the people involved I'm in a no-win situation here. Whatever I do, I'm going to annoy someone. (American)

See a no-win situation

See also: situation

carry the day 

1. to win a war or a fight At the beginning of the American Civil War, many southerners believed their soldiers and statesmen would carry the day.

2. if you carry the day, you persuade people to support your ideas or opinions, or if a particular idea carries the day, it is accepted by a group of people The Republicans carried the day in the dispute over the new jet fighter. Her argument in favour of pay increases eventually carried the day.

See also: carry, day

earn/win your spurs

to do something to show that you deserve a particular position and have the skills needed for it He won his political spurs fighting hospital closures during his time as a local councillor in Bristol.

See also: earn, spur

May the best man win.

something that you say just before a competition starts to say that you hope the person who deserves to win will win Is everyone ready? Then may the best man win.

See also: best, man, may

win (something) hands down

to win easily She won the debate hands down.

See also: hand

win the day

if you win the day, you persuade people to support your ideas or opinions, or if a particular idea wins the day, it is accepted by a group of people By the end of the meeting it became clear that the radicals had won the day. I was pleased to hear that common sense had won the day and the proposal had been accepted.

See also: day

You can't win 'em all.  (informal) also You win some, you lose some. (informal)

something that you say which means it is not possible to succeed at everything you do I'm a bit disappointed I didn't get the job. Oh well, you can't win 'em all. Obviously I would have liked first prize but you win some, you lose some.

See earn spurs

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a no-win situation

a condition in which all possible results are bad for the people involved If she doesn't do anything, the North Side will be unhappy, and if she does do something, the South Side will be unhappy. Either way she's in a no-win situation.

See also: situation

carry the day

to win or succeed Senators in favor of cutting taxes carried the day.

See also: carry, day

win somebody/something over also win over somebody/something

to succeed in changing opinion The senator made a stirring speech but failed to win over enough votes to pass his bill. The argument she used to win them over was not about who was right and who was wrong.

win out

to succeed after great effort In the end, greed won out over doing the right thing.

See also: out

win the day

to achieve complete success New products grab headlines, but useful products that give good value often win the day.

See also: day