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to the victor belong the spoils

The winner gets everything, as in He not only won the tournament but ended up with numerous lucrative endorsements—to the victor belong the spoils. This expression alludes to the spoils system of American politics, whereby the winner of an election gives desirable jobs to party supporters. [First half of 1800s]

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Nearby words

  1. to the nines,
  2. to the nth degree,
  3. to the point,
  4. to the teeth,
  5. to the tune of,
  6. to the wall,
  7. to wake the dead, loud enough,
  8. to whom it may concern,
  9. to windward,
  10. to wit
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.