horse-race
horse-race — 名詞
1. a sporting event in which horses ridden by jockeys run around a track and try to
賽馬
騎師騎馬比賽速度的運動
a sporting event in which horses ridden by jockeys run around a track and try to be the first to cross the finish line
Thousands of fans packed the stands to watch the afternoon horse-race at Churchill Downs.
數千名粉絲擠滿看台，觀賞邱吉爾園馬場下午的賽馬。
concrete: literal sporting event
Megan had never been to a horse-race and was amazed by how fast the horses ran.
Megan 從未去看過賽馬，對馬兒飛奔的速度感到驚訝。
The horse-race was delayed by twenty minutes because of the sudden thunderstorm over the track.
那場賽馬因為賽道上突然下起雷陣雨而延遲了二十分鐘。
Every Saturday, Kenji's grandfather took him to the local horse-race.
每星期六，Kenji 的祖父都會帶他去當地的賽馬場。
- race
broader in meaning; can refer to foot races, car races, etc.
- horse race meeting
refers to a whole event with multiple races, not a single race
文法句型
a + horse-race
the + horse-race
2. a competition or election whose outcome can already be guessed before it ends, b
一面倒
結果早已確定的選舉或比賽
a competition or election whose outcome can already be guessed before it ends, because one person or group is so much stronger than the others
Analysts called the primary a horse-race because the senator had secured the party's support.
分析家稱這場初選是一面倒的比賽，因為該參議員已取得黨內支持。
figurative use: outcome predictable in advance
The bidding war for the warehouse was a horse-race because Kwame's firm already owned the land next door.
那座倉庫的競標是一場一面倒的比賽，因為 Kwame 的公司早已擁有隔壁土地。
Lakshmi told her class the science fair was a horse-race because one project was clearly ahead.
Lakshmi 告訴班上同學，科展是一場一面倒的比賽，因為其中一個作品明顯領先。
The race for class president was a horse-race from day one, with the popular incumbent far ahead in every poll.
班長選舉從第一天起就是一場一面倒的比賽，受歡迎的現任班長在每份民調中都遙遙領先。
- one-horse race
more common in British English; exactly the same meaning
- foregone conclusion
focuses on the outcome being certain rather than on the competition itself
- tight race
a contest where the outcome is uncertain
文法句型
a + horse-race
用法筆記
Distinguish from the phrase sense CLOSE CONTEST. This sense describes a competition where the winner is obvious in advance — the opposite of a tight, unpredictable contest.
常見錯誤
horse-race — 慣用語
1. an election, competition, or struggle that is very close and unpredictable, with
激戰
勝負難分的激烈選舉或比賽
an election, competition, or struggle that is very close and unpredictable, with no clear winner until the very end
The election became a real horse-race after the two candidates tied in the debate.
兩位候選人在辯論中打成平手後，這場選舉成了一場真正的激戰。
figurative: close political contest
Analysts said the streaming market battle was a horse-race between two studios.
分析師表示，串流市場的爭奪戰是兩家影業之間的激戰。
Both teams scored goal for goal, turning the final into a horse-race that thrilled the crowd.
雙方你一球我一球，冠軍總決賽變成一場讓全場觀眾沸騰的激戰。
João called the sales competition a horse-race; each representative was within a few points.
João 稱這場銷售競賽為激戰，每位業務代表的業績都只相差幾分。
- neck-and-neck race
emphasises the tightness of the competition
- toss-up
informal; suggests either side could win
- landslide
a one-sided victory by a large margin
文法句型
a + horse-race
用法筆記
This figurative phrase is especially common in US political journalism (e.g., 'horse-race coverage' of an election). Do not confuse with the noun sense PREDICTED WINNER, which describes the opposite situation — a one-sided contest whose result is already clear.