succeed (redirected from succeeds)

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Prov. You have to keep trying until you get what you want. Jill: I spent all morning trying to fix the computer, and it still won't work. Jane: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. You'll learn that dance step eventually. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

See also: again, first, if, try

Nothing succeeds like success.

Prov. If you have succeeded in the past, you will continue to be successful in the future. After Alan's brilliant courtroom victory, everyone wanted to be his client. Nothing succeeds like success.

See also: like, nothing, success

succeed someone as something

to take the place of someone as something; to supplant someone in something. Jeff will succeed Claude as president of the organization. You are not allowed to succeed yourself as president.

succeed as something

to flourish or prosper as a type of person. I hope I succeed as a bank teller. Jamie succeeded as an investigator.

succeed at something

to prosper or flourish in some task. I hope I can succeed at the task you have assigned me. I am sure you will succeed at it.

succeed in something

to prosper or flourish in some position or office. I hope you succeed in your new job. We knew you would succeed in doing what you wanted to do.

succeed to something

to fall heir to something; to take something over. Carl will succeed to the throne when he is of age. Mary succeeded to the throne at the age of three months.

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If at first you don't succeed, (try, try, and try again).

something that you say in order to tell someone they must keep trying in order to achieve something My novel has been rejected by three publishers already. Still, if at first you don't succeed ...

See also: first, if