close only counts in horseshoes

English

Alternative forms

• close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades
• close only counts in horseshoes and darts

Etymology

Referring to the game of horseshoes.

Proverb

close only counts in horseshoes

1. Coming close to achieving a goal is not good enough.

   Synonym: a miss is as good as a mile

See also

• nearly never bulled a cow (Ireland, dated)