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Win by a Nose

What Does "Win by a Nose" Mean?

homeidiomsWin by a Nose
"Win by a nose" is an English idiom. It means "to achieve victory in a competition or race by a very small margin."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "win by a nose" used in a sentence:
  • In the photo finish, the horse managed to win by a nose, just edging out the competition.
  • The basketball team won by a nose, making the game-winning shot seconds before the buzzer.
  • She crossed the finish line first, winning by a nose in the marathon.
meaning for win by a nose

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Win by a Nose" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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