win hands down
/ˌwɪn ˌhændz ˈdaʊn/INFORMAL · C1
Meaning
to beat everyone else very easily
Examples
- 1Our team won hands down; the others didn't answer a single music question correctly.
- 2If it's a contest for the best lasagne, Gran wins hands down.
- 3The final vote wasn't even close: Maya's design won hands down.
- 4Which would win hands down in a race to the shops, your bike or the bus?
- 5Compared with the other two flats, the one near the park wins hands down: it's bigger, cheaper and quieter.
Grammar
win is irregular: won. hands stays plural. The object can come between: win the vote hands down.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about sports
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →play ballto agree to help in the way someone wantsthe gloves are offpeople are ready to fight or argue without holding backthe ball is in your courtit is now your turn to act or decideget the ball rollingto make something start happeningthrow in the towelto stop trying because you know you cannot succeeda level playing fielda situation where everyone has the same chance
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
Here you get a couple of questions. The app gives you 16 practice modes, native equivalents and spaced repetition that tells you when it’s time to refresh.
