win by a nose

English

Etymology

From horse racing, where the winning horse is slightly ahead, and the length of the nose separates it from the runner-up.

Pronunciation

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Verb

win by a nose (third-person singular simple present wins by a nose, present participle winning by a nose, simple past and past participle won by a nose)

1. (idiomatic) To win by a small margin; to have a narrow victory.