win by a nose

Idioms  

1. Also, win by a whisker. Just barely succeed, as in Sally's political cartoon came in first in the contest, but I heard that she won by a nose. This term comes from horseracing, where from about 1900 on it referred to a finish so close that only a portion of the horse's nose reached the finish ahead of the second horse. A whisker —that is, a hair—is a narrower margin yet. [Second half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

That paid off because Hernandez guided Mystik Dan to a win by a nose in the race’s closest finish in more than three-quarters of a century.

From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024

Woman Stakes: Lady Ninja came late to win by a nose over a determined Selcourt in the race for fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2019

When Glorious Dancer got up in the final stride to win by a nose, Beychok was the winner of a cool and life-changing $1 million.

From New York Times • Jan. 25, 2013

Yet neither the horse nor Tom Queally, his jockey, was prepared to concede defeat and Noble Mission drew alongside in the final strides to win by a nose as the two horses hit the line.

From The Guardian • Jul. 31, 2012

"Ah-h-h!" says she, thankful like, as if she'd seen her horse win by a nose.

From Shorty McCabe by Wilson, F. Vaux (Francis Vaux)