nip and tuck
Meaning
Very close or evenly matched; hard to choose a winner because the difference is slight.
Origin
Likely from tailoring: to "nip" (pinch/trim) and "tuck" (fold/shorten) cloth to make small adjustments for a close fit. By the late 1800sβearly 1900s it was used figuratively for close contests.
Notes
Used for close contests or decisions (sports, elections, competition). Fairly informal. Donβt confuse with "nip/tuck" meaning cosmetic surgery in some contexts.
Examples
-
The election was nip and tuck until the final district reported its results.
-
Their game was nip and tuck all the way to overtime.
-
We finished the project just in nip and tuck before the deadline.
-
The two runners were nip and tuck as they approached the finish line.
-
Sales were nip and tuck between the two companies for most of the year.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as a predicate complement: "It was nip and tuck" or "The race is nip and tuck." Less commonly: "a nip-and-tuck finish" (hyphenated as an adjective). Largely fixed wording.
Synonyms
- neck and neck
- close-run
- tight
- evenly matched
- down to the wire
Antonyms
- a landslide
- no contest
- runaway victory