win at (something)
1. To be victorious in some competitive event or activity. I don't normally win at debates like these, but I felt really confident and well prepared. My parents always let us win at board games when we were really little.
2. To earn some kind of prize or reward at a competitive event or activity. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "win" and "at." I won a stuffed bear at the target-shooting game at the state fair. He won a nice little sum of money at the national spelling bee.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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 at something
to triumph at some competition. Will I ever be able to win at golf? She always wins at poker.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
win at
v. To achieve victory in some activity or event: I usually win at chess. I used to be good at poker, but now I can't win at any card games at all.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.