also-ran

also-ran
/awl"soh ran'/, n.
1. Sports.
a. (in a race) a contestant who fails to win or to place among the first three finishers.
b. an athlete or team whose performance in competition is rarely, if ever, a winning or near-winning one.
2. Informal. a person who loses a contest, election, or other competition.
3. Informal. a person who attains little or no success: For every great artist there are a thousand also-rans.
[1895-1900]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • also-ran — n someone who fails to win a competition, election etc ▪ Ten months ago he was just an also ran for the Democratic nomination …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • also-ran — (n.) 1896, originally in reference to horse races, from ALSO (Cf. also) + past tense of RUN (Cf. run) (v.). Probably from the way non placing horses were listed in race results …   Etymology dictionary

  • also-ran — also rans N COUNT If you describe someone as an also ran, you mean that they have been or are likely to be unsuccessful in a contest …   English dictionary

  • also-ran — also ,ran noun count someone who is not successful, especially someone who loses an election or competition …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • also-ran — ► NOUN ▪ a loser in a race or contest …   English terms dictionary

  • also-ran — ☆ also ran [ôl′sōran΄ ] n. 1. a horse that fails to finish first, second, or third in a race 2. Informal any loser in any competition …   English World dictionary

  • also-ran — noun a contestant who loses the contest • Syn: ↑loser • Ant: ↑winner (for: ↑loser) • Derivationally related forms: ↑lose (for: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • also-ran — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms also ran : singular also ran plural also rans someone who is not successful, especially someone who loses an election or competition …   English dictionary

  • also-ran — noun Date: 1896 1. a horse or dog that finishes out of the money in a race 2. a contestant that does not win 3. one that is of little importance especially competitively < was just an also ran in the scramble for…privileges C. A. Buss > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • also-ran — n A horse that loses races or an unsuccessful human competitor. Dealer s Choice is another also ran that never won a race. 1890s …   Historical dictionary of American slang

  • also-ran —    This term refers to an unsuccessful competitor whose performance is so much poorer than the winner s that it appears insignificant.     He entered the contest hoping that he wouldn t end up as an also ran …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

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