nip and tuck

1. Closely contested; neck and neck: “It was nip and tuck there for a while, but our team finally pulled through.”

Idioms and Phrases

Very close so that the advantage or lead of competitors keeps shifting, as in It was nip and tuck whether they would deal with the bill before Congress adjourned . The precise allusion in this term has been lost. [Early 1800s] Also see neck and neck .

Example Sentences

They saw the light years ago and now many do a healthy nip-and-tuck business, especially on noses.

From The Daily Beast

But did she really deserve all the nip-and-tuck hate-tweeting?

From The Daily Beast

I knew right off it was a nip-and-tuck race, with the chances in favor of a man called Pringle getting nipped.

From Project Gutenberg

I pulled several gurgling dogs from their water-filled holes, each of them making nip-and-tuck efforts to climb out.

From Project Gutenberg

It was nip-and-tuck for the first half of that third period, with neither team making headway and the ball in air half the time.

From Project Gutenberg

Texas fought in the wild and savage style of the prairie, nip-and-tuck, go-as-you-please; and he was wild with anger.

From Project Gutenberg

For the first six innings, it was a nip-and-tuck battle between the two pitchers.

From Project Gutenberg